Basic Ionospheric Research

For the specific goal to control or predict man-made ionization effects the Defense Department has stimulated research in some areas and particularly in ionospheric physics. The results are reviewed with the implication that most of them are significant only within the larger pool of knowledge being produced by basic research. The review covers recent results gained by means of rockets and satellites on various atmospheric parameters and on the various particle inputs. Further, it reports on conjugate phenomena, on geographical features of particle influx and of electric fields and on progress in radio propagation measuring techniques. Finally, it reviews the observed effects on the ionosphere during the coordinated 12 November 1966 solar eclipse expedition. (Author).

Annals of the International Geophysical Year, Volume III: The Ionosphere covers the main branches of ionospheric research, particularly the vertical-incidence sounding technique. This volume is composed of seven chapters and begins with an introduction to the basic technique of pulse-sounding for most ionospheric studies. The next chapters describe the elementary theory basic to the understanding of ionospheric soundings and their physical interpretation. This topic is followed by examination of the basic principles, antenna systems, and photographic processing of sounding equipment. Other chapters highlight the interpretation and reduction of ionograms. The last chapter provides guidelines to observers for the maintenance of high standards of performance of the ionosonde, of scaling and of reporting their observations. This book will be of useful to geophysicists, equipment designers, and researchers in the field.

This book describes how to predict and forecast the state of planet Earth’s ionosphere under quiet and disturbed conditions in terms of dynamical processes in the weakly ionized plasma media of the upper atmosphere and their relation to available modern measurements and modelling techniques. It explains the close relationship between the state of the media and the radio wave propagation conditions via this media. The prediction and forecasting algorithms, methods and models are oriented towards providing a practical approach to ionospherically dependent systems design and engineering. Proper understanding of the ionosphere is of fundamental practical importance because it is an essential part of telecommunication and navigation systems that use the ionosphere to function or would function much better in its nonappearance on the Earth and on any planet with an atmosphere.