Phase of electromagnetic field on the surface of an inhomogeneous earth for sky-wave illumination

A method of calculating the phase of an LF downcoming sky wave in the vicinity of a coastline is presented. The complex integral representation for the resultant field, on the homogeneous earth, is modified to take full account of the inhomogeneity which is in the form of a two-section path. It is shown that there is a phase-recovery effect when the propagation is across the coastline from land toward the sea.