Electromagnetic Effects of Aircraft Wake-Active Feuillet Interaction

A mechanism by which an aircraft wake can interact strongly with the electromagnetic radiation present in an active elevated anomalous refractivity region (active feuillet) is analyzed. The aircraft wake structure, assumed to consist of twin contrarotating vortices plus entrained irrotational gas, trailing behind the wings of typical large aircraft is shown to be capable of descending a distance of approximately 3 wing span distances and attaining a length of the order of 10 km, prior to instability-induced disruption. The parcel of air such a descending coherent wake structure can convey into an active feuillet is demonstrated to alter significantly the local refractive index of the duct and induce substantial radiation spillage. The general characteristics of the electromagnetic radiation produced by this interaction process (i.e., scattering by diaphanous objects) is described.