Some features of a radio signal interaction with a turbulent atmosphere

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Abstract

On the basis of the solution of Maxwell’s equations system for electromagnetic radiation in a turbulent atmosphere the differential effective section of scattering of this radiation on turbulence is found. Dependence of scattering section on wave length and an angle of scattering is investigated. It is shown that interaction of electromagnetic radiation and turbulence of an atmosphere is interaction of the determined electromagnetic wave process with stochastic turbulent wave process. It is marked, that the wave vector of scattering electromagnetic radiation is proportional to a wave vector of turbulence.

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Introduction

Super-high-frequency (SHF) electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength λ = 1–10 cm and ultra-high-frequency (UHF) electromagnetic radiation with λ = 10–100 cm are widely used in television and radio detection and ranging.

These types of electromagnetic radiation, in the absence of an atmosphere in the region of a planet’s gravitational field, propagate rectilinearly, which limits radio communication on these waves to a distance of 40–50 km. Longer waves diffract on the spherical surface of the Earth, which is a reason for the reception of radio signals beyond the line of sight. However, the presence of an atmosphere also raises the possibility of perceiving SHF and UHF radiation beyond the planetary horizon. This possibility, in particular, is due to the reflection of radiation from the ionized layer in the atmosphere’s upper layers, in the troposphere at an altitude of 10–12 km in temperate latitudes. In addition, the effect of perceiving SHF and UHF radiation beyond the horizon is also associated with turbulence in the atmosphere, particularly the stratosphere at an altitude of 12–50 km with a relative dielectric permeability of

The process of electromagnetic wave propagation in the atmosphere was previously studied by many scientists, in particular [1–5].

Physically, the interaction of electromagnetic radiation and atmospheric turbulence is one of a deterministic electromagnetic wave process with a stochastic turbulent wave process.

This article aimed to analyze the influence of turbulent pulsations in the atmosphere on electromagnetic radiation.

1. Differential effective scattering cross section of ultrashort-wave electromagnetic radiation in a turbulent atmosphere

To analyze the propagation of ultrashort-wave electromagnetic radiation in the atmosphere in the range of  10–100 cm, it will be considered an approximate nonconducting medium with dielectric permeability  and magnetic permeability  where n is the refractive index of atmospheric matter.

Maxwell’s system of equations for electromagnetic waves propagating in the atmosphere has the following form:

 curlE=-1cHt, (1)

curlH=1cDt, (2)

divD=0, (3)

divH=0. (4)

In Eqs. (1)–(4), E, H, and D are the electric and magnetic field strengths and the electrical induction of an electromagnetic wave, respectively, t is time, and c is the speed of light in a vacuum, approximately equal to the speed of light in the atmosphere.

We present the material equation in the following form:

D=εE. (5)

We assume that the refractive index of the atmosphere differs slightly from unity because of fluctuations in its parameters, such as pressure, temperature, and humidity. Therefore, we assume:

n=1+n/, (6)

where n/ are random pulsations of the refractive index. The value of n/ is on the order of 10-8--10-6 [6].

Considering that ε=n2, and n/1, we also reveal the following relation:

ε=1+2n/+n/21+2n/=1+ε/. (7)

Dielectric permeability pulsations  despite their small magnitude, scatter electromagnetic waves in the atmosphere.

Considering the sinusoidal–oscillatory nature of electromagnetic waves, Eqs. (1) and (2) can be presented in a form that excludes the time derivatives of the field strengths in the wave:

curlE=ikH, (8)

curlH=-ikD. (9)

The energy flux density of electromagnetic oscillations, the Poynting vector [7], has the form:

S=c4πE×H. (10)

From Eq. (8), we determine the magnetic field strength:

H=-ikcurlE. (11)

Substituting Eq. (11) into Eq. (12), we determine the dependence of the Poynting vector on only the electric field strength of the wave:

S=c4πE×H=-ci4πkE×curlE. (12)

Let a plane electromagnetic wave with electric field strength E0 impinge on a conditionally allocated volume V (Fig. 1) containing turbulent atmospheric pulsations:

E0=pA0eikX, (13)

where X is the coordinate of the incident wave propagation; p is the unit vector in the plane of oscillation of the vector E0 perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave, i.e., wave vector k; A0 is the wave amplitude; and kX is the phase of the wave. We neglect the time component of the phase because Maxwell’s equations in the form of Eqs. (8) and (9) are used.

 

Fig. 1. Scattering of a plane electromagnetic wave (Poynting vector) by volume V with turbulent pulsations

Рис. 1. Рассеяние плоской электромагнитной волны (вектора Пойнтинга) объемом V с турбулентными пульсациями

 

According to Eq. (12), this wave has an energy flux density equal to

S0X=-ci4πkE0×E0X= (14)

=-ci4πkpA0eikX×pA0eikXik=cA024πkkei2kX,

which considers that p2=1.

Because vector k is directed along the X coordinate, we determine the average value of the Poynting vector (λ=2π/k) over the wavelength:

S0=cA024πkkk2π02πk(Re(ei2kX))dX= (15)

=cA024πkkk2π02πkcos2kXdX=cA028πkk.

The electric field strength in volume V can be represented as

E=E0+E/, (16)

where E/ corresponds to scattered electromagnetic waves.

Let us exclude the magnetic field strength from the system of Eqs. (8) and (9), finding the curl of Eq. (8):

curlcurlE=ikcurlH=k2D. (17)

Therefore, k2(D0+D/)=curlcurl(E0+E/),where D0=ε0E0=E0, such that ε0=1 is the dielectric permeability of the undisturbed atmosphere, and D/ is the turbulent pulsations of electrical induction. According to the Eq. (17), k2D0=curlcurlE0, so we obtain the following equation for pulsating electrical characteristics:

k2D/=curlcurlE/, (18)

In accordance with Eqs. (5) and (7), we obtain D=(1+2n/)E or D0+D/=(1+2n/)(E0+E/).Therefore, D0+D/=(E0+2n/E0+E/+2n/E/). Considering D0=E0 and assuming 2n/E0+E/2n/E/, we obtain the following expression:

D/=E/+2n/E0. (19)

Excluding the value E/ from the system of equations (18) and (19), we reveal that k2D/=curlcurl(D/-2n/E0). Considering the formula of vector analysis curlcurlD/=grad(divD/)-ΔD/ and Eq. (3) in the form divD/=0, we obtain:

(Δ+k2)D/=-curlcurl(2n/E0). (20)

The solution to wave equation (20) with a random right-hand side using Eq. (13) has the form:

D/X= (21)

=14πrotrotV2n/X1E0X1eikXX1XX1dX1=

=A02πrotrotρVn/X1ei1+ikX1XX1XX1dX1.

Let q=X/X be the unit vector of the research direction (Fig. 1). We assume that no pulsations exist outside volume V; therefore  n/=0, ε=1, and D=E, along with Eqs. (5) and (6). The quantity X1 is inside volume V, and X is far enough from this volume, so in the denominator of the Eq. (21), the quantity X-X1 can be replaced by X-X1X as the distance to the observation point. In addition, we assume X-X1=X-qX1=X-qX1, and eikX1+ikX-X1=eikX1+ikX-qX1=eikXeik-kqX1, and we present Eq. (21) in the following form:

E/X= (22)

=A02πrotrotρeikXXVn/X1eikkqX1dX1.

We consider that

curl(curl)=×(×)=q×(q×)2X2,

and

rotrotρeikXX=q×q×ρ2X2eikXX

k2eikXXq×p×q.

Because the electromagnetic wavelength is small compared to the distance to the observation point Xλ, when differentiating, we consider the denominator to be approximately constant, i.e., we actually use a flat geometry. Thus, we obtain:

E/X=k2A0eikX2πXGq×p×q, (23)

where

G=Vn/X1eikkqX1dX1

is a parameter characterizing turbulent atmospheric pulsations.

Vector q×p×q=sinα, where α is the angle between vectors p and q (Fig. 1). The vector q×p×q is perpendicular to vector q.

Let us determine the flux density of scattered electromagnetic energy using Eq. (12):

S/=ci4πk(E/×rotE/)= (24)

=ci4πkE/×XE/=ci8πkqXE/2=

=ci8πkqk4A024π2G2sinα2Xe2ikXX2

ci8πkqk4A024π2X2G2sinα22ike2ikX=

=c8πqk4A024π2X2G2sinα22e2ikX=

=ck4A02sinα232π3X2G2q.

The derivation considers the average value Re(e2ikX)=1/2. over the wavelength.

The differential effective cross section for the process of scattering electromagnetic waves in volume V is equal to

dσ=dPS0. (25)

The energy flow (power) dP of electromagnetic waves scattered into a solid angle dΩ in the direction q, considering Eq. (24), is equal to

dP=S/X2dΩ=ck4A02sinα232π3G2dΩ. (26)

By substituting Eq. (15) into Eq. (26), we derive the following equation:

dσ=k4sinα24π2G2dΩ=k4sin2α4π2G2dΩ. (27)

Thus, the differential effective cross section for the process of scattering electromagnetic waves by turbulent atmospheric pulsations obeys Rayleigh’s fourth power law:

dσ~k4=16π4λ4, (28)

Figure 2 presents the distribution of the differential effective cross section depending on angle α.

 

Fig. 2. Scheme for receiving electromagnetic waves scattered by turbulent pulsations of the atmosphere, 1 – emitting antenna, 2 – receiving antenna, 3 – angular wave scattering

Рис. 2. Схема приема электромагнитных волн, рассеянных на турбулентных пульсациях атмосферы, 1 – излучающая антенна, 2 – приемная антенна, 3 – угловое рассеяние волн

 

2. Influence of turbulent atmospheric characteristics on scattering of electromagnetic radiation

Let us explore in more detail the parameter

 G=Vn/X1eikkqX1dX1,

characterizing the atmospheric turbulization. The wave vector k-kq is the difference between the wave vectors of the incident and scattered waves (Fig. 2).

To simplify the analysis, we will consider turbulence to be homogeneous and isotropic, i.e., it has quantitatively the same structure everywhere, and its statistical characteristics are independent of the direction.

Using the Fourier transform, we present the two-point correlation function BnnX1-X2=null (angle brackets, as usual, mean spatial averaging) through the Fourier spectrum of turbulence Fnn(ζ):

BnnX1-X2= (29)

=expiζX1X2Fnnζdζ.

In this case, ζ is the wave vector of the turbulent spectrum. When an electromagnetic wave and turbulence interact, two wave processes interact, a deterministic electromagnetic wave process and a stochastic turbulent wave process. k-kq is assumed to be proportional to the wave vector of the turbulent spectrum ζ (Fig. 2). This assumption will be justified hereafter.

Thus, the mean square of the turbulence parameter G is equal to

null (30)

×expiζX1X2dX1dX2.

The constant coefficient of proportionality between the wave vectors k-kq and ζ is unimportant for further transformations, and we set it equal to unity. In the future, we will clarify its numerical value.

Meanwhile, using the Fourier spectrum, we have

G2=8π3V0ζ18π3VexpiζdFnnζdζ (31)

8π3V0ζFnnζdζ18π3Vexpiζrdr,

where r=X1-X2. The weight function:

fζ=18π3Vexpiζrdr,

where the integral is over the entire wave space, is equal to unity [6]. Therefore, the function fζ changes slightly and can be removed from the integral. The magnitude is

0ζFnnζdζ~ζ52

over a rather large range of wave vector magnitudes [8]. The mean square of the turbulence parameter null obeys the same law. The turbulence parameter itself obeys a law near linear Gζ~ζ54, and the spectral function of turbulence approximately obeys the law ddςζ52~ζ32.

Let θ be the scattering angle between the wave vector k of the incident electromagnetic wave and the direction q of the scattered wave (Fig. 2). Then, from the isosceles triangle, we obtain k-kq=2ksinθ2. Considering that k=2π/λ, we obtain the follow value:

d=λ2sinθ2=2πk-kq=2πδζ, (32)

where δ=k-kq/ζ is a parameter showing how many times k-kq is greater than the turbulent wave vector ζ.

Eq. (32) is called the Wulff–Bragg equation for a spatial diffraction grating. The value d is an analog of the grating period, i.e., the distance between structures that scatter electromagnetic waves. Consequently, atmospheric turbulence can be represented, to some approximation, as a spatial diffraction grating.

We can assimilate the d value to the scale of turbulence. In isotropic turbulence, d0,75/ζ [8]. Comparison of Eq. (32) with this equation confirms the proportionality of the wave vector k-kq, i.e., the difference between the incident and turbulence-scattered electromagnetic radiation and the wave vector of the turbulent spectrum ζ. In addition, we can estimate the proportionality coefficient δ between these vectors: 2π/δ=0,75 and δ8,37 such that k-kq8,37ζ.

Conclusion

Scattering of ultrashort-wave electromagnetic radiation by atmospheric turbulence affects long-distance radio communications on ultrashort waves. The differential effective cross section for radio scattering on turbulent fluctuations of the refractive index relative to the wavelength obeys Rayleigh’s law and, geometrically, a quadratic sinusoidal law with a maximum perpendicular to the original direction of radiation.

A representation of atmospheric turbulence during interaction with a radio wave as a spatial diffraction grating was revealed. The dependence of the effective period of this grating on the parameters of the electromagnetic wave and turbulence was determined.

Physically, the interaction of electromagnetic radiation and atmospheric turbulence is one of a deterministic electromagnetic wave process with a stochastic turbulent wave process. In this case, the wave vector, which characterizes the difference between the incident electromagnetic radiation and electromagnetic radiation scattered by turbulence, is proportional to the wave vector of the turbulent spectrum. The wavelength of scattered electromagnetic radiation is approximately an order of magnitude smaller than the turbulence scale.

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About the authors

Dmitriy S. Klyuev

Povolzhskiy State University of Telecommunications and Informatics

Email: klyuevd@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9125-7076

Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Head of the Department of Radioelectronic Systems

Russian Federation, 23, L. Tolstoy Street, Samara, 443010

Andrey N. Volobuev

Samara State Medical University

Email: volobuev47@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-8624-6981

Doctor of Technical Sciences, professor of the Department of Medical Physics, Mathematics and Informatics

Russian Federation, 89, Chapayevskaya Street, Samara, 443099

Sergei V. Krasnov

Samara State Medical University

Email: s.v.krasnov@samsmu.ru

Doctor of Technical Sciences, professor, chief of the Department of Medical Physics, Mathematics and Informatics

Russian Federation, 89, Chapayevskaya Street, Samara, 443099

Kaira A. Adyshirin-Zade

Samara State Medical University

Email: adysirinzade67@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3641-3678

Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, associate professor of the Department of Medical Physics, Mathematics and Informatics

Russian Federation, 89, Chapayevskaya Street, Samara, 443099

Tatyana A. Antipova

Samara State Medical University

Email: antipovata81@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5499-2170

Candidate of Physics and Mathematics Sciences, associate professor of the Department of Medical Physics, Mathematics and Informatics

Russian Federation, 89, Chapayevskaya Street, Samara, 443099

Natalia N. Aleksandrova

Samara State Medical University

Author for correspondence.
Email: grecova71@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5958-3851

senior lecturer of the Department of Medical Physics Mathematics and Informatics

Russian Federation, 89, Chapayevskaya Street, Samara, 443099

References

  1. Tatarskiy V.I., Golitsyn G.S. On the scattering of electromagnetic waves by turbulent inhomogeneities of the troposphere. Atmosfernaya turbulentnost’. Trudy In-ta fiziki atmosfery AN SSSR, 1962, no. 4, pp. 147–202. (In Russ.)
  2. Tatarskiy V.I. Wave Propagation in a Turbulent Atmosphere. Moscow: Nauka, 1967, 548 p. (In Russ.)
  3. Chernov L.A. Propagation of Waves in a Medium with Random Inhomogeneities. Moscow: AN SSSR, 1958, 159 p. (In Russ.)
  4. Booker H.G., Gordon W.E. A theory of radio scattering in troposphere. Proceedings of the IRE, 1950, vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 401–412. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/JRPROC.1950.231435
  5. Villars F., Weisskopf V.F. On the scattering of radio waves by turbulent fluctuations of the atmosphere. Proceedings of the IRE, 1955, vol. 43, no. 10, pp. 1232–1239. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/JRPROC.1955.277935
  6. Monin A.S., Yaglom A.M. Statistical Hydromechanics. Part 2. Moscow: Nauka, 1967, pp. 548, 565. (In Russ.)
  7. Krauford F.S. Waves; Trans. from English. Moscow: Nauka, 1976, p. 323. (In Russ.)
  8. Khintse I.O. Turbulence. Its Mechanism and Theory. Moscow: Izd-vo fizmat. literatury, 1963, pp. 226, 279. (In Russ.)

Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. Scattering of a plane electromagnetic wave (Poynting vector) by volume V with turbulent pulsations

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3. Fig. 2. Scheme for receiving electromagnetic waves scattered by turbulent pulsations of the atmosphere, 1 – emitting antenna, 2 – receiving antenna, 3 – angular wave scattering

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Copyright (c) 2022 Klyuev D.S., Volobuev A.N., Krasnov S.V., Adyshirin-Zade K.A., Antipova T.A., Aleksandrova N.N.

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