Examining the Power Law Relationship Between Absorption and Frequency Using Spectral Riometer Data

Abstract

High frequency radio wave propagation is sensitive to absorption in the D and lower E-region ionosphere. Absorption models typically characterize attenuation expected at 30 MHz, meaning scaling relationships are required to map to absorption expected at other frequencies. This is important when evaluating absorption at <20 MHz, as these frequencies are typically used for communication, and are highly sensitive to ionospheric disturbances. Typically, a power law relationship between absorption and frequency with a coefficient of n = −2 is used. This relationship can be demonstrated through consideration of the Appleton-Hartree equation. This paper examines the performance of this relationship using data from the Kilpisjärvi Atmospheric Imaging Receiver Array for 13–14 November 2012. Using absorption measured at 30 MHz as a baseline, the power law relationship was used to calculated absorption at frequencies of 10–80 MHz. For this event, the power law relationship performed well when the measured absorption at 30 MHz was <1–2 dB, but strongly overestimated measurements as absorption increased. Performance improved when n was allowed to vary as a function of the overall level of absorption at 30 MHz. This accounts for local ionospheric changes associated with absorption events that change the balance of parameters in the Appleton-Hartree equation causing deviation from n = −2. To further accommodate deviations associated with both local ionospheric disturbances and ambient electromagnetic noise contributions, an empirical relationship relating the logarithm of absorption to frequency was evaluated as a function of overall absorption. Compared to the simplified n = −2 power law relationship between absorption and frequency, the new relationship better represents measured absorption for the event studied.