Electromagnetic Waves in an Inhomogeneous Anisotropic Medium of the Model Ionosphere

Abstract

Electromagnetic fields of a wave propagating in the ionospheric D region with its wave normal directing vertically upwards can be described by the Weber function. The model ionosphere pertinent to the present investigation is composed of the parabolic electron density profile with a constant collision frequency and the vertical magnetic field. The distribution of wave electric field intensity, reflection, transmission and conversion coefficients are numerically calculated. It is shown that the reflection coefficient for the right handed circularly polarized wave has a spirally diminishing characteristic in the amplitude-phase polar coordinate plane for increasing wave frequency. The left handed circularly polarized wave is reflected below the altitude where the wave frequency approaches to the penetration frequency. It is also found that the conversion coefficient of the transmitted wave decreases abruptly above a specific value of collision frequency.