MagnetoIonic.jl serves to aid in the computation of radio wave propagation through plasma.
As it currently stands, this package can calculate the squared index of refraction using the Appleton-Hartree equation in either Hertz or radians from appleton_hartree_rad() and appleton_hartree_hz().
Multiple input types are supported for both, but all functions need a provided electron density n_e in m⁻³, effective electron-neutral collision frequency ν in s⁻¹, magnetic field and wave propogation as either as a 3 component vector B_vec in T with associated wave k vector or as magentitude B in T and angle θ between the wave normal and magnetic field in radians and radio frequency in either radians s⁻¹ or Hertz.
When supplying B_vec, k is optional and, if not included, the assumed direction of wave propagation is vertical [0, 0, 1].
Additional functions are provided for calculating the associated absorption coeficients for both O and X mode waves given the same information using radio_absorption_rad() and radio_absorption_hz(). Returned coeficients, obtained from the imaginary part of the refractive index n = √(n²) are in units of dB (loss) m⁻¹
Convenience functions for common plasma calculations are exported including plasma_frequency_(rad/hz)(), plasma_frequency_(rad/hz)_sq(), gyrofrequency_(rad/hz)(), and gyrofrequency_(rad/hz)_sq().
Under the hood, all computations are converted to radians first. For many repeated calls, consider working natively in radians.
See Zawdie2017 for a discussion on the use of different collision frequencies in application to ionospheric plasma calculations.
- [Appleton1932]: Appleton, E. V. (1932), Wireless studies of the ionosphere, Int. J. Electr. Eng., 71, 642–650.
- [Budden1985]: Budden, K. G. (1985), The propagation of radio waves, Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge.
- [Haselgrove1960]: Haselgrove, C. B., and J. Haselgrove (1960), Twisted ray paths in the ionosphere, Proc. Phys. Soc. London, 75, 357–363.
- [Zawdie2017]: Zawdie, K. A., D. P. Drob, D. E. Siskind, and C. Coker (2017), Calculating the absorption of HF radio waves in the ionosphere, Radio Sci., 52, 767–783, doi:10.1002/2017RS006256.