BOOK REVIEW IN COMMUNICATIONS Electronic Communications System By Wayne Tomasi

CHAPTER 14 ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE PROPAGATION

# DEFINITIONS TERMS

Propagation of electromagnetic waves often called radio-

1) Free-space
frequency (RF) propagation or simply radio propagation.

2) Electrical energy that has escaped into free space. Electromagnetic wave

The orientation of the electric field vector in respect to the

3) Polarization
surface of the Earth.

4) Polarization remains constant Linear Polarization

Horizontal Polarization and

5) Forms of Linear polarization
Vertical Polarization

Polarization vector rotates 360◦ as the wave moves one wave-

6) length through the space and the field strength is equal at all Circular Polarization
angles of polarization.

7) Field strength varies with changes in polarization.

Elliptical Polarization

Used to show the relative direction of electromagnetic wave

8) Rays
propagation.

9) Formed when two points of equal phase on rays propagated from Wavefront
the same source are joined together.

A single location from which rays propagate equally in all

10) Point source
directions.

11) Invisible force field produced by a magnet, such as a conductor Magnetic Field
when current is flowing through.

Strength of a magnetic field (H) produced around a conductor is

12) H = 1/2d
expressed mathematically as:

13) Electric fields

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BOOK REVIEW IN COMMUNICATIONS Electronic Communications System By Wayne Tomasi

Invisible force fields produced by a difference in voltage

potential between two conductors.

14) Electric filed strength (E) is expressed mathematically as: E = q/4d2

15) Dielectric constant of the material separating the two conductors. Permittivity

-12
16) The permittivity of air or free space is approximately. 8.85 x 10 F/m

The rate at which energy passes through a given surface area in

17) Power density
free space.

Intensity of the electric and magnetic fields of an

18) Field intensity
electromagnetic wave propagating in free space.

Mathematically power density is expressed as:

2
19) P = €H W/m

The characteristic impedance of a

20) lossless transmission medium is equal to the square root of the Zs = (µo/0)1/2
ratio of its magnetic permeability to its electric permittivity.

Point source that radiates power at a constant rate uniformly in

21) Isotropic radiator
all directions.

Power density is inversely proportional to the square of the

22) Inverse Square Law
distance from the source.

23) Propagation medium. Isotropic medium

Waves propagate through free space, they spread out, resulting in

24) Attenuation
a reduction in power density.

25) Reduction of Power. Absorption Loss

26) Wave attenuation

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BOOK REVIEW IN COMMUNICATIONS Electronic Communications System By Wayne Tomasi

Reduction in power density with distance is equivalent to a

power loss.

27) Spherical spreading of the wave. Space attenuation

28) One with uniform properties throughout. Homogeneous medium

Absorption coefficient varies considerably with location, thus

29) Inhomogeneous medium
creating a difficult problem for radio systems engineers.

30) Optical properties of Radio Waves. Refraction, Reflection,

Diffraction and Interference

31) Bending of the radio wave path. Refraction

32) Square root of the dielectric constant and is expressed in: Refractive index; n = (k)

33) (k) Equivalent dielectric constant relative to free space (vacuum). K = (1- 81N/f2)1/2

Boundary between two media with different densities.

34) Plane

Imaginary line drawn perpendicular to the interface at the point

35) Normal
of incidence.

36) Angle formed between the incident wave and the normal. Angle of Incidence

37) Angle formed between the refracted wave and the normal. Angle of Refraction

Ratio of velocity of propagation of a light ray in free

38) space to the velocity of propagation of a light ray in a given Refractive Index
material.

Perpendicular to the direction of propagation (parallel to the

39) Density gradient
waveform)

40) Reflect
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To cast or turn back.

42) Ratio of the reflected to the incident voltage intensities. Reflection Coefficient

43) Portion of the total incident power that is not reflected. Power transmission coefficient

44) Fraction of power that penetrates medium 2. Absorption coefficient

Incident wave front strikes an irregular surface, it is

45) Diffuse reflection
randomly scattered in many directions.

46) Reflection from a perfectly smooth surface. Specular (mirrorlike) reflection

47) Semirough surfaces

Surfaces that fall between smooth and irregular.

Semirough surface will reflect as if it were a smooth surface

whenever the cosine of the angle of incidence is greater than Rayleigh criterion
48)
λ/8d, where d is the depth of the surface irregularity and λ is the Cos θi > λ/8d
wavelength of the incident wave.

Modulation or redistribution of energy within a wavefront when

49) Diffraction
it passes near the edge of an opaque object.

51) Diffraction occurs around the edge of the obstacle, which allows Shadow zone
secondary waves to “sneak” around the corner of the obstacle.

States that the total voltage

54) intensity at a given point in space is the sum of the individual Linear Superposition
wave vectors.

52) Electromagnetic waves travelling within Earth’s atmosphere. Terrestial waves

Terrestial radio
53) Communications between two or more points on Earth.
communications
54) Sky waves
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Used for high-frequency applications.

Earth –guided electromagnetic wave that travels over the surface

55) Surface wave
of earth.

Relative
Surface
Conductivity
Seawater Good
Flat, loamy soil Fair
Relative Conductivity of Earth Surfaces Large bodies of
56) Fair
freshwater
Rocky terrain Poor
Desert Poor
Jungle Unusable

1. Ground waves require a

relatively transmission power.
2. Ground waves are limited to
very low, low, and medium
57) Disadvantages of surface waves. frequencies.
3. Requiring large antennas.
4. Ground losses vary
considerably with surface
material and composition.

1. Given enough transmit

power, ground waves can be
used to communicate between
any two locations in the world.
58) Advantages of ground wave propagation.
2. Ground waves are relatively
unaffected by changing
atmospheric conditions.

Travel essentially in a straight line between the transmit and

59) Direct waves
receive antennas.

Line-of-Sight (LOS)
60) Space wave propagation with direct waves.
transmission

The curvature of Earth presents a horizon to space wave

61) Radio Horizon
propagation.

62) Duct propagation

Occurs when the density of the lower atmosphere is such that
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BOOK REVIEW IN COMMUNICATIONS Electronic Communications System By Wayne Tomasi

electromagnetic waves are trapped between it and Earth’s

surface.

Lowest layer of the ionosphere and is located approximately

63) D Layer
between 30 miles and 60 miles (50 km to 100 km) above Earth’s
surface.

Located approximately between 60 miles and 85 miles (100 km

64) E Layer
to 140 km) above Earth’s surface.

65) The upper portion of the E layer. Sporadic E layer

Made up of two layers, F 1 and F 2 layers.

66) F Layer

Highest frequency that can be propagated directly upward and

67) Critical frequency
still be returned to Earth by the ionosphere.

Maximum vertical angle at which it can be propagated and still

68) Critical Angle
be refracted back by the ionosphere.

A measurement technique used to determine the critical

69) Ionospheric Sounding
frequency.

Height above the Earth’s surface from which a refracted wave

70) Virtual Height
appears to have been reflected.

Highest frequency that can be used for sky wave propagation Maximum Usable Frequency
71)
between two specific points on Earth’s surface. (MUF)

72)
Secant law. MUF = critical frequency/cosθi
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Operating at a frequency of 85% of the MUF provides more Optimum Working Frequency
73)
reliable communications. (OWF)

Minimum distance from a transmit antenna that a sky wave at a

74) Skip distance
given frequency will be returned to Earth.

The area between where the surface waves are completely

75) dissipated and the point where the first sky wave returns to Quiet, or skip, zone
Earth.

Formed by the ionosphere is raised, allowing sky waves to travel

76) Ceiling
higher before being returned to Earth.

77) Define as the loss incurred by an electromagnetic waves as it Free-space path loss
propagates in a straight line through a vacuum with no
absorption or reflection of energy from nearby objects.

78) Occurs simply because of the inverse square law. Spreading loss

79) Variation in signal loss. Fading

80) To accommodate temporary fading, an additional loss is added Fade margin

to the normal path loss Fm = 30 logD + 10log (6ABf)
– 10log (1-R) – 70

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