The role of the curvature of a smooth tropospheric boundary in beyond-the-horizon radio paths

Abstract

This communication deals with the reflecting behavior of one spherical concave smooth atmospheric boundary in over-the-horizon radio propagation. First, the author examines how the convergence coefficient varies as a function of the ratio of the path length to the radius of curvature of the layer under different grazing angles. Next, the influence of the curvature on the mechanism of total internal reflection, regarding a subrefractive layer, is considered. Comparison of the obtained results with those corresponding to the case of a plane interface is also discussed.