Uso della polarizzazione dell'eco nei sondaggi ionosferici

Abstract

While performing an ionospheric sound- ing the information brought by the polarisation of the received echo is not essential. In fact, the "AIS" ionosonde [Arokiasami 2002], developed at INGV in the recent years, does not allow for this piece of information but it is able to gener- ate good quality ionograms, from which it is possible to discriminate between the ordinary and the extraordinary ray. Anyway, if the polar- isation information is available the automatic scaling of the ionograms can be more effective. This work consists of some theoretical and tech- nological considerations, fundamental to the development of an improved ionosonde model, that has been carried on at INGV. The magne- toionic theory of propagation of radio waves into the ionosphere is assumed as known; so only some concepts concerning more tightly the waves polarisation and the creation of the ordi- nary and the extraordinary rays are developed; eventually the practical ways by which it is pos- sible to discriminate them by means of a sound- ing instrument are described.