According to a recent paper, megaconstellations of satellites could damage the ionosphere. The ionosphere is the ionized part of the upper atmosphere, between 80 and 600 km. It’s important because it modifies and reflects radio waves used for navigation and communication.
The ionosphere can be affected by space weather, which can reflect, absorb, or refract radio waves. This includes radio signals from Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites.
Ionospheric disturbances can have consequences for satellites and their performance. The perturbed ionosphere can cause absorption, distortion, and delay of radio signals during their propagation.
Ionophoric “punch holes” are becoming more common with the record numbers of rocket launches by SpaceX. These effects can be troublesome, but they are short-lived. Re-ionization occurs as soon as the sun comes up again.
When it comes to the atmosphere we all tend to immediately turn our attention to pollution, to gasses being released and disturbing the delicate balance. Yet a paper recently published points to a new demon, megaconstellations of satellites damaging the ionosphere – the ionised part of the upper atmosphere
The ionosphere can affect satellite communication in a number of ways:
- Signal degradation The ionosphere can cause radio signals to scatter, refract, and reflect in unpredictable ways. This can lead to signal degradation and interference, which can result in reduced signal strength, errors in data transmission, and even loss of communication.
- Signal wavelength compression The ionosphere can compress the signal wavelength by slowing down its propagation velocity.
- Signal reflection The ionosphere can interfere with satellite signals because it reflects them back down to earth.
- Signal length The longer the signal is in the ionosphere, the greater the ionosphere’s effect on it.
- Radio wave frequencies The ionosphere affects radio signals in different ways depending on their frequencies. Radio waves with frequencies above 30 MHz like VHF, UHF, SHF, or EHF usually penetrate the Ionosphere and, therefore, are usually for ground to space communications.
Microwaves and radio waves are used in satellite communication. Microwaves are preferred for communicating with satellites that are far away and in geostationary orbit. Radio waves are better for communicating with satellites in low orbit.
Microwaves are able to pass through the ionosphere with minimal attenuation. Lower frequencies, however, are either absorbed and dissipated by the ionosphere or bounce off it and return to Earth.
Radio waves and microwaves are both types of electromagnetic radiation. Radio waves have longer wavelengths and are reflected by the ionosphere. Microwaves are used for mobile phones and Wi-Fi, while radio waves are used to transmit radio and television programs
Only very high frequency waves and visible light can pass through the ionosphere and not be reflected back.
Radio waves and visible light are the only waves that can penetrate the ionosphere. Radio waves have long wavelengths and low frequencies, which allows them to penetrate the ionosphere and travel long distances.
Microwaves, infrared waves, and gamma rays have shorter wavelengths and higher frequencies, which make them more likely to be absorbed or scattered by the ionosphere.
High frequency waves pass through the ionosphere and escape into space while the low frequency waves reflect off the ionosphere and essentially “skip” around the earth.
The ionosphere reflects radio waves because it contains a high concentration of free electrons. When high frequency (HF) radio waves hit these free electrons, they vibrate and re-radiate the energy back down at the same frequency. This effectively bounces the radio wave back towards the Earth
The ionosphere is made up of gas particles that are ionized, or carry an electrical charge. The ionosphere is a layer that includes the thermosphere and part of the mesosphere and exosphere.
The ionosphere only lets waves with high frequency pass through. This means that the ionosphere allows radio waves to pass inward or outward of the atmosphere and are not reflected.
The ionosphere is especially important in long distance radio communication. Radio waves directed at an angle into the sky can return to Earth beyond the horizon.
According to a recent paper, megaconstellations of satellites could damage the ionosphere, which is the ionized part of the upper atmosphere.
When satellites from these megaconstellations stop working and re-enter the ionosphere, they add conductive particles. As the megaconstellations grow, the satellite particulate may create a conductive layer around the earth.
The chemicals produced by re-entering satellites could alter the chemistry of the Earth’s upper atmosphere and damage the ozone layer.
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