Correction for ionospheric refraction for COBRA DANE
By: Richard S. Allen, Delia E. Donatelli, Maria C. Picardi
Contributors: Donatelli, Delia E.; Picardi, Maria C.
Series: Air Force surveys in geophysics -- no. 376; AFGL-TR -- 77-0257
Publisher: Space Physics Division, Air Force Geophysics Laboratory
Published: 1977
Place of publication: Hanscom AFB, Mass
Language: eng
Number of pages: 18
Subjects: Ionospheric radio wave propagation; Refraction; Ionosphere; Radar meteorology
Other titles: COBRA DANE
Description: A hit-to-hit correction for range error arising from ionospheric refraction has been developed for the COBRA DANE radar. First a FORTRAN procedure was developed to compute monthly median refraction corrections over the field of view. These were provided to the radar in the form of equivalent look-up tables. A FORTRAN program was developed for the radar computed index values for each target position (azimuth, elevation, and range) and a correction was determined for each radar hit. This procedure removed about 75 percent of the monthly mean ionospheric effect. A further reduction was then made by using first and update factor determined by the Air Force Global Weather Central and then a more accurate update derived from a two-frequency calibration made by the radar itself. These procedures are shown to be capable of removing up to 90 percent of the mean ionospheric effect.
Notes: Title from cover.

"18 November 1977."

"Space Physics Division project 4643."

Includes bibliographical references.