Observations of anomalous propagation over waters near Sweden

Abstract

Abstract. Radio waves propagating in the atmosphere are affected by the prevailing atmospheric state. The state of the atmosphere can cause radio waves to refract more or less towards the ground. When the refractive index of the atmosphere differs from standard atmospheric conditions the propagation is called anomalous. Radars which are affected by anomalous propagation can receive ground clutter far beyond the radar horizon. In this work 4.5 years of data from five operational Swedish C-band dual polarization weather radars are presented. Analyses of the data reveal a strong seasonal cycle and weaker diurnal cycle in ground clutter from coastal regions across nearby waters. The impact of anomalous propagation on ground clutter, measured with horizontal and vertical polarization, was compared but no clear difference was found.