On some short-wave equivalent height measurements of the ionized regions of the upper atmosphere

Abstract

The present paper continues the account of wireless investigations of the ionized regions of the upper atmosphere given in two previous papers. The results discussed in it consist chiefly of measurements of the equivalent heights of the ionized regions made simultaneously at two or three receiving stations with wave-lengths of the order of 100 metres. The frequency-change method of measuring the equivalent height was used throughout. 2. Extension of Equivalent Height Measurements to the Use of Short Waves . The experiments described previously were continued with shorter wave-lengths with two objects in view. In the first place it had been found that 400-metre waves penetrated the lower ionized region (E region) only on certain nights, and then only during the few hours before dawn. This result clearly showed that penetration of this region was most likely when the density of ionization was least. But, according to most theories of wireless propagation, a greater electronic density is required to reflect or refract short waves than is the case with long waves, so that it was anticipated that by reducing the wave-length below 400 metres it might be possible to penetrate E region over a longer period of time during the night than had been possible when 400-metre waves had been used. In this way it was hoped to make a more detailed study of the variation of the equivalent height of the upper region (F region) which had been found to reflect 400-metre waves on the occasion when they had penetrated the normal E region. Secondly, since it is known that the attenuation of the ground waves increases rapidly as the wave-length is reduced below, say, 400 metres, it was expected that, with the use of shorter waves, the ratio of the values of downcoming wave intensity and ground wave intensity would be much increased at all stations. Such an increase, it was expected, would make it possible to continue the measurements of equivalent heights, in general, a good deal further into the daylight hours. Such daylight measurements on longer waves had previously been found difficult, because of the relative weakness of the intensity of the downcoming waves as compared with that of the ground waves.