TROPOSPHERIC WAVES AND ITS APPLICATIONS

GUNJAN VERMA (U11EC143) KULDEEP SINGH (U11EC145)

Tropospheric waves
The troposphere is the region of the atmosphere adjacent to the earth and extending upto 10km. The temperature in the troposphere decreases with the height at the rate of 6.5C per km. Wave propagation beyond the line of sight with in the troposphere can result from several mechanisms such as diffraction ,normal refraction,abnormal reflection and refraction and tropospheric scatter.

Normal refraction
Radio wave travelling horizontally in the earths atmosphere follows a path which has a slight downward curvature due to refraction of the wave in the atmosphere .this curvature of the path helps in overcoming the loss of signal due to curvature of the earth

The normal refraction of radio wave in the atmosphere occurs because of the refractive index of the atmosphere ,decreases slowly with the height above the earth .since . .due to very small change in n we use scaled up value of n called refractivity N ;N=(n-1)10^6 N can be calculated using relation Where, p: total pressure (milli bars). e: partial pressure of water vapour (milli bars)

Relation b/w radius of curvature of path and change of refractive index with height

The radius of curvature of path being a function of the rate of change of the dielectric constant with height, varies from hour to hour ,day to day and season to season. we can compensate curvature of path by using the larger value for the effective radius of the earth

the effective radius of the earth =(4/3)*a Where, a: actual radius of the earth. By using this effective radius instead of actual radius we can replace curved path by straight line path.

Abnormal Reflection
there are chances of reflection which are due to the abrupt variation in the refractive index and its gradient and such reflections can produce usable signal beyond the range compared with only ground wave propagation.

Modified index curves and duct propagation

Modified index (M)=(n-1+(h/a))*10^6 a: radius of earth . h: height above ground. n: refractive index. Importance of M in radio propagation is because of the variation of dM/dh of M with height. Usually M increases 0.158M units per metre, however near earth surface increases linearly with constant rate less than 0.158M units per metre. with the help of M curves we can predict the transmission path of radio waves.

Duct propagation
If M modified index decreases with height (M curve slopes to left ) over a portion of range of height the waves will be curved downwards (over the flat earth) and condition is known as trapping or duct propagation. this range of height over the surface of the earth is called duct or wave guide this wave guide will be leaky and is called surface duct if the lower side of duct is at the surface of the earth. When the lower side of the duct is elevated then that duct is called elevated duct.

Surface ducting

elevated ducting

Tropospheric scatter
It is method of transmitting and receiving radio signals over considerable distances often upto 300km. In this method radio signals are transmitted in a tight beam midway b/w transmitter and receiver sites ,as the signals pass through the troposphere they are scattered ,allowing receiver to pick up the signals. Because troposphere is turbulant and has a high proportion of moisture radio signals are refracted and consequently only a small proportion of radio energy is collected by the receiving antenna .

Scattering in the common volume of transmitting and receiving antenna

Applications of tropospheric propagation

Tropospheric scatter propagation is used for point to point communication ranging from 80km to 800km.
Tropospheric scatter propagation particularly usefull for communication to location in rugged terrain that are difficult to reach with other method of propagation .

Tropospheric scatter propagation is not affected by ionospheric and auroral disturbance.

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