Magneto-ionic fading in pulsed radio waves reflected at vertical incidence from the ionosphere

The results of a fairly extensive study of magneto-ionic fading in pulsed radio waves vertically reflected from the F2-region of the ionosphere are presented. Phase paths of the two interfering magneto-ionic components are calculated on the basis of ray theory assuming a parabolic distribution of ionization in the F2-region. The calculated frequencies of fading are found to agree fairly well with the observed values. A method of deducing the semi-thickness of the F2-layer from the observed frequencies of fading is presented and the results obtained by this method are also presented and discussed.