Survivability of meteor burst communication under adverse operating conditions.

Abstract

This thesis is a study of the survivability and reliability issues associated with operating meteor burst communication systems under adverse conditions. Meteor burst communication relies on the phenomenon of reflecting radio waves off the ionized trails left by meteors as they enter the atmosphere and disintegrate. The system's rapid deployment capability, mobility, and operating characteristics make it ideal for disaster and emergency communications. Adverse conditions such as ionospheric disturbances, polar region anomalies, sun spot activity, the nuclear EMP environment, and others are discussed.