PHASE-METHOD STUDY OF LARGE-SCALE INHOMOGENEITIES IN THE IONOSPHERE,

摘要

The phase method consists in recording,at three mutually separated points on the earth's surface,the variations of phase-path of the reflected field from the ionosphere. This method has certain advantageous features as compared with existing methods of studying large-scale inhomogeneities and their movements (for instance,measurement of group retardation). An important feature of the phase method is an increased precision of recording the phase-path variation,which makes possible a statistical approach in calculating drift velocities from observations of large-scale inhomogeneities. In addition,it is useful to compare the phase measurements with other methods of investigating the fine structure of the ionosphere.