Influence of internal gravity waves on the reflection of electromagnetic waves from the ionosphere

Radiophysical Research Institute, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

Abstract

[1]  The influence of a smooth inhomogeneous disturbance of the impedance of the plain boundary of the ionosphere on the electromagnetic wavefield is studied. The internal gravity waves present in the reflection zone of the electromagnetic waves may be a source of such a disturbance. The case when the disturbance amplitude may be of the same order of magnitude as the regular value of the impedance is considered. The problem is solved introducing an auxiliary function satisfying the Dirichlet's zero condition at the boundary. The expression for the Hertz potential is derived under the condition of grazing propagation of radio waves.

Received 2 August 2005; revised 10 October 2006; accepted 20 February 2007; published 27 April 2007.

Keywords: internal gravity waves; atmosphere--ionosphere interaction; radio wave reflection from the ionosphere.

Index Terms: 2487 Ionosphere: Wave propagation; 2471 Ionosphere: Plasma waves and instabilities; 0358 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Thermosphere: energy deposition.