On the use of forward scatter techniques in the study of turbulent stratified layers in the troposhere

Abstract

This review paper considers the potentials of forward scatter radio techniques as a diagnostic tool in the study of stratified turbulent layers. Seven classes of experimental techniques have been considered (beamswinging, multifrequency, vertical and horizontal field strength correlation, coupling loss, pulse delay and bandwidth measurements). All these techniques with the exception of bandwidth and delay experiments measure directly or indirectly the irregularity spectrum of refractive index. Bandwidt hand delay distributions are determined by the vertical distribution of the refractivity irregularities. Thus for the purpose of obtaining information about a layered structure where our interest is focused on the vertical refractivity distribution rather than on the averaged spectral properties of the structure, the last two categories of experiments appear to represent a powerful tool. If one is interested in the spectral properties, multifrequency and beamswinging experiments are of great potential value whereas other experiments such as that measuring coupling loss are largely influenced by pure refraction effects.