Analysis of VLF Electromagnetic Scattering in Lower Anisotropic Ionosphere Based on Transfer Matrix

Very-low-frequency (VLF) electromagnetic waves (3–30 kHz) are stable and attenuated, suitable for various applications in submarine communication and earthquake prediction. Very-low-frequency electromagnetic waves usually propagate in atmospheric waveguides formed between the anisotropic ionosphere...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lin Zhao, Zhiting Zhan, Zhigang Zhang, Huiting Feng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Atmosphere
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/15/11/1396
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850149923061760000
author Lin Zhao
Zhiting Zhan
Zhigang Zhang
Huiting Feng
author_facet Lin Zhao
Zhiting Zhan
Zhigang Zhang
Huiting Feng
author_sort Lin Zhao
collection DOAJ
description Very-low-frequency (VLF) electromagnetic waves (3–30 kHz) are stable and attenuated, suitable for various applications in submarine communication and earthquake prediction. Very-low-frequency electromagnetic waves usually propagate in atmospheric waveguides formed between the anisotropic ionosphere at low to medium heights and the earth. However, the electromagnetic parameters of the anisotropic ionosphere at low to medium heights are very complex, making it difficult to accurately calculate and analyze the scattering characteristics of very-low-frequency electromagnetic waves. This article divides the mid to low altitude anisotropic ionosphere into fine layers, and establishes a more accurate transmission model for ultra-low-frequency electromagnetic waves in the layered structure of ionization layers by deriving the anisotropy/transmission matrix of each layer. In the comparative verification, we calculated the field strength of 17 kHz VLF electromagnetic waves within a transmission distance range of 500–1600 km based on the proposed method and compared it with statistical data collected from actual communication experiments and theoretical calculation results based on traditional ITU-R P.372-11. The results show that compared with the theoretical results based on ITU-R P.372-11, the method proposed in this paper fully considers the vertical height non-uniformity of the ionosphere, and its calculated results are more consistent with actual measurement data, with higher accuracy. Our work provides excellent guidance for the development of precise models for the propagation and prediction of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic waves, as well as a good idea for the accurate calculation of VLF electromagnetic scattering within 500–1500 km.
format Article
id doaj-art-1669a465974a4e4ebc7bd6bbaceb1e4f
institution OA Journals
issn 2073-4433
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Atmosphere
spelling doaj-art-1669a465974a4e4ebc7bd6bbaceb1e4f2025-08-20T02:26:45ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332024-11-011511139610.3390/atmos15111396Analysis of VLF Electromagnetic Scattering in Lower Anisotropic Ionosphere Based on Transfer MatrixLin Zhao0Zhiting Zhan1Zhigang Zhang2Huiting Feng3Department of Communication Engineering, Naval University of Engineering, Wuhan 430033, ChinaDepartment of Communication Engineering, Naval University of Engineering, Wuhan 430033, ChinaDepartment of Communication Engineering, Naval University of Engineering, Wuhan 430033, ChinaDepartment of Communication Engineering, Naval University of Engineering, Wuhan 430033, ChinaVery-low-frequency (VLF) electromagnetic waves (3–30 kHz) are stable and attenuated, suitable for various applications in submarine communication and earthquake prediction. Very-low-frequency electromagnetic waves usually propagate in atmospheric waveguides formed between the anisotropic ionosphere at low to medium heights and the earth. However, the electromagnetic parameters of the anisotropic ionosphere at low to medium heights are very complex, making it difficult to accurately calculate and analyze the scattering characteristics of very-low-frequency electromagnetic waves. This article divides the mid to low altitude anisotropic ionosphere into fine layers, and establishes a more accurate transmission model for ultra-low-frequency electromagnetic waves in the layered structure of ionization layers by deriving the anisotropy/transmission matrix of each layer. In the comparative verification, we calculated the field strength of 17 kHz VLF electromagnetic waves within a transmission distance range of 500–1600 km based on the proposed method and compared it with statistical data collected from actual communication experiments and theoretical calculation results based on traditional ITU-R P.372-11. The results show that compared with the theoretical results based on ITU-R P.372-11, the method proposed in this paper fully considers the vertical height non-uniformity of the ionosphere, and its calculated results are more consistent with actual measurement data, with higher accuracy. Our work provides excellent guidance for the development of precise models for the propagation and prediction of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic waves, as well as a good idea for the accurate calculation of VLF electromagnetic scattering within 500–1500 km.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/15/11/1396VLFionospheric modeltransfer matrix method
spellingShingle Lin Zhao
Zhiting Zhan
Zhigang Zhang
Huiting Feng
Analysis of VLF Electromagnetic Scattering in Lower Anisotropic Ionosphere Based on Transfer Matrix
Atmosphere
VLF
ionospheric model
transfer matrix method
title Analysis of VLF Electromagnetic Scattering in Lower Anisotropic Ionosphere Based on Transfer Matrix
title_full Analysis of VLF Electromagnetic Scattering in Lower Anisotropic Ionosphere Based on Transfer Matrix
title_fullStr Analysis of VLF Electromagnetic Scattering in Lower Anisotropic Ionosphere Based on Transfer Matrix
title_full_unstemmed Analysis of VLF Electromagnetic Scattering in Lower Anisotropic Ionosphere Based on Transfer Matrix
title_short Analysis of VLF Electromagnetic Scattering in Lower Anisotropic Ionosphere Based on Transfer Matrix
title_sort analysis of vlf electromagnetic scattering in lower anisotropic ionosphere based on transfer matrix
topic VLF
ionospheric model
transfer matrix method
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/15/11/1396
work_keys_str_mv AT linzhao analysisofvlfelectromagneticscatteringinloweranisotropicionospherebasedontransfermatrix
AT zhitingzhan analysisofvlfelectromagneticscatteringinloweranisotropicionospherebasedontransfermatrix
AT zhigangzhang analysisofvlfelectromagneticscatteringinloweranisotropicionospherebasedontransfermatrix
AT huitingfeng analysisofvlfelectromagneticscatteringinloweranisotropicionospherebasedontransfermatrix