This chapter covers the following topics: characteristics of electromagnetic waves; radiowave optical principles; radiation and reception; and environmental wave-propagation effects.

Chapter Contents:

• 1.1 Characteristics of Electromagnetic Waves
• 1.1.1 Wave Velocity
• 1.1.2 Frequency and Wavelength
• 1.1.3 Space-Time Relationships
• 1.1.4 Polarization
• 1.1.5 Rays and Wavefronts
• 1.1.6 Spherical Waves and the Inverse-Square Law
• 1.1.7 Field Intensity and Power Density
• 1.1.8 Decibel (Logarithmic) Expression of Attenuation
• 1.1.9 Absorption
• 1.2 Radio-Wave Optical Principles
• 1.2.1 Refraction
• 1.2.2 Reflection
• 1.2.3 Principle of Images
• 1.2.4 Interference
• 1.2.5 Huygens' Principle: Diffraction
• 1.3 Radiation and Reception
• 1.3.1 Requirements for Radiation
• 1.3.2 Reception and Reciprocity
• 1.4 Environmental Wave-Propagation Effects
• 1.4.1 The Earth Environment
• 1.4.2 Beyond-the-Horizon Propagation
• 1.4.3 Reflection from the Earth's Surface
• 1.4.4 Variations in Earth's Reflection Coefficient
• 1.4.5 Wave Nomenclature
• 1.4.6 Transionospheric Propagation
• 1.4.7 The Radio-Transmission Equation
• References
• Problems and Exercises

Inspec keywords: ionospheric electromagnetic wave propagation; radiowave propagation; electromagnetic wave propagation

Other keywords: electromagnetic waves reception; electromagnetic waves radiation; environmental wave propagation; radiowave optical principle

Subjects: Ionospheric electromagnetic wave propagation; Electromagnetic wave propagation; Electromagnetic waves: theory