Fundamental Investigation of Plasma Chemistry Kinetics and Dynamics towards Improved Communications Abilities

The propagation, refraction, or reflection of radio waves through weakly ionized plasma (e.g., the natural ionosphere) is most succinctly understood by comparison of the frequency of the radio wave to the critical frequency of the plasma, a function of the electron density. The electron density in turn is determined by the chemistry of charged species present in the plasma. Decades of research into the ion chemistry of the ambient ionosphere have provided a solid foundation for modeling and prediction of radio wave propagation un...