Frequency dependence of equatorial ionospheric scintillations

Abstract

Simultaneous observations of amplitude scintillations at 40 MHz, 140 MHz and 360 MHz radiated from ATS-6 satellite at 34° E longitude were made at Ootacamund near the magnetic equator in India. It has been found that the frequency variation of scintillation index (S ₄) isS ₄ ∞f ⁻ⁿ, withn being about 1·2 only for weak scintillations, i.e., so long as the scintillation index does not exceed 0·6 at the lower frequency. For strong scintillations (S ₄>0·6) where multiple scattering may be present, the exponentn itself is a function of the intensity of scintillation, the scintillation indices at two frequencies are related by:S ₄(f ₁)=S ₄(f ₂) exp [1·3 log(f ₂/f ₁)(1−S ₄(f ₂)] so long asf ₂/f ₁≤3. Thus knowing scintillation index at a given frequency one can estimate the scintillation index at another frequency. This will be of significant importance for communication problems. Evidence is also shown for the reversal of the frequency law in cases of intense scintillations.