Theory of intense radio waves in an underdense ionosphere: application to solar power satellite transmissions. Final report

The instabilities in the F-region plasma are investigated that can be created by the passage of a solar power satellite beam (2.45 Ghz frequency, at a power flux of 23 mW/cm2) at frequencies much higher than the cut-off plasma frequency of the ionosphere. The threshold geometry and frequency and intensity scaling laws are calculated for the thermal self-focusing instability, and its saturation level is estimated. The possibility is considered of scaled experiments at HF power to detect the thermal self-focusing instability for an underdense ionosphere. Other experimental possibilities are discussed in terms of the scaling laws