Calculating Far-Field Patterns of Antennas Positioned on Glacial Ice

Using a three-step process, the radiation pattern of an arbitrary antenna located above glacial ice can be determined at any depth within that ice. In the first step, the electric and magnetic near-field values of the antenna are determined using a FEM (finite element method) code. This step involves modeling both the antenna and a small portion of upper-layer ice to determine accurate near-field values. In the second step, by making use of the well-known equivalency and reciprocity theorems, the electric and magnetic near-field values obtained from step one are used to calculate the antenna gain in the upper part of the ice region. Finally, step three involves modeling the effects of increasing ice density with increasing depth, using the geometric optics techniques.