Anomalous Propagation
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Anomalous Propagation
The propagation of energy when it arrives at a destination
via a path significantly different from the normally expected
path.
The term is usually applied to the transmission of various
forms of energy through the atmosphere when, in addition to the
line-of-sight path, the energy is refracted by density discontinuities
at one or more levels in atmosphere. Therefore, it propagates
to a point that could not be reached via a line-of-sight path.
In radio and radar studies, it refers to the abnormal refraction
of a beam of radio energy, usually applied to superstandard propagation
rather than to substandard propagation. In either case, anomalous
propagation results from an unusual vertical distribution of temperature
and moisture in the atmosphere.
The anomalous propagation of sound
refers to the downward refraction of an oblique sound wave from
an explosion, the refraction occurring in the region of increasing
temperature with height in the lower mesosphere. The anomalous
propagation of sound has been used as a method for determining
upper air temperatures and winds.
References
This article is based on NASA's Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use
