The measurement of the polarization of radio waves reflected from the ionosphere at non-vertical incidence

Measurements of direction of arrival as well as polarization have been made on 9.1 mc/s pulsed transmissions over a 1300 km path from Glenville, North Carolina to Lexington, Massachusetts. The vertical and horizontal angles of arrival were required in order to determine the polarization of the downcoming wave from that measured at the receiving site. Therefore, the direction of arrival was measured in addition to the polarization. Equipment for the continuous automatic recording of the information was constructed; the directional data being obtained in the form of two phase measurements, and the polarization data as phase and amplitude ratio measurements. Data were recorded simultaneously for each pulse of the series of pulses arriving for each one transmitted. Samples of the data are shown, and the correlation with the magnetic-ionic theory is discussed.