Use of atmospheric emission to estimate refractive errors in a non-horizontally stratified troposphere

Tropospheric refraction introduces errors into radar and radio communication systems by causing radio waves to travel along a curved path and at a speed which changes with position. Common error correction techniques, such as making estimates of refractive effects from surface refractivity, rely implicitly on the assumption that the troposphere is horizintally stratified. This study demonstrates that such an assumption may be unwarranted especially at elevation angles below 100, and that such reliance can lead to substantial errors. The end product of this research is a system which employs atmospheric emission measurements in addition to surface refractivity to estimate refractive bending and range error. This approach relies on the similar dependence of refraction and emission on atmospheric parameters to account for nonhorizontal stratification. Performance results establish that such a system need employ no more than one radiometer channel to provide potential error reduction of more than 40 percent over conventional approaches, along with a potentially automated, real-time operational capability