Journal of Radio Electronics. eISSN 1684-1719. 2025. ¹9
Full text in Russian (pdf)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30898/1684-1719.2025.9.3
of Shortwave Radio Signal Propagation
Considering the Ionosphere’s Inhomogeneous Structure
K.Y. Kovalenko, R.R. Latypov
Kazan Federal University, Institute of Physics
420111, Russia, Kazan, Kremlevskaya St., 16a
The paper was received May 16, 2025.
Abstract. The aim of this study is to develop a computational model for the propagation of shortwave radio signals in an inhomogeneous ionosphere, taking into account the Earth’s sphericity. We present a software suite implementing a ray-tracing method based on geometrical optics. A distinctive feature of the developed model is its use of realistic electron-density profiles within a multilayer ionospheric structure, enabling the simulation of refraction effects as radio waves traverse layers of varying density. The algorithm incorporates mechanisms for handling total internal reflection and for transforming coordinates between geodetic and Cartesian systems. The model supports the integration of empirical data from the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI2016), both directly and via radial basis functions to accelerate computations. Implementation is done in Python using scientific libraries and 3D visualization tools. Simulation results allow for the visualization of radio-wave trajectories at various frequencies and for analyzing the influence of ionospheric parameters on their propagation. A comparative analysis with existing modeling approaches—such as the parabolic equation method and the normal-mode method—demonstrates that the proposed approach achieves high predictive accuracy with significantly lower computational cost. The results can be used for the design and optimization of long-distance radio-communication systems, as well as for investigating physical processes in the ionosphere.
Key words: shortwave radio signals, ionospheric propagation, computer modeling, geometrical optics, ray tracing, multilayer ionosphere, radio-communication systems, electron density.
Corresponding author: Kovalenko Konstantin Yur'evich, kintonk@yandex.ru
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For citation:
Kovalenko K.Yu., Latypov R.R. Computer modeling of high-frequency radio wave propagation considering the inhomogeneous structure of the ionosphere // Journal of Radioelectronics. – 2025. – ¹ 9. https://doi.org/10.30898/1684-1719.2025.9.3 (In Russian)