Simulation of An occultation sounding experiment using a numerical calculation of the parabolic diffraction equation

 

 Ya. A. Ilyushin¹,  A. L. Gavrik ² , Yu. A. Gavrik ², T. F. Kopnina ²

 

¹ Lomonosov Moscow State University
² Kotel'nikov Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics of RAS, Fryazino branch

 Received March 13, 2012

Abstract. We have used direct simulation of occultation signal using a numerical calculation of the parabolic diffraction equation to analyze variations of signal intensity and phase along the line of trajectory of Venus satellite during an occultation experiment. As a result we have proved the liner relationship between variations of phase and intensity of the signal deformed by regular spherically symmetric ionosphere. It is shown that a coincidence between energy and non-energy parameters of a sounding radio wave proves reliability of the result obtained from inverse radio occultation problem.

Keywords: occultation, radio wave propagation, ionosphere and atmosphere of planets.