Calculating the absorption of HF radio waves in the ionosphere

It has long been known that the ionospheric absorption of HF radio waves is dependent on the electron density in the ionosphere. This paper examines two aspects of the absorption calculation that have not been as thoroughly investigated. First, the correct method to calculate ionospheric absorption is explored; while the Sen Wyller ray trace formulation is generally cited as the best approximation in the D and E regions of the ionosphere, the Appleton-Hartree formulation is more consistent with the theory in the F region of the ionosphere. It is shown that either ray trace formulation can be used to calculate ionospheric absorption if the correct collision frequencies are utilized. Another frequently overlooked aspect of the attenuation calculation are the variations in the electron-neutral and electron-ion collision frequencies as a function of local time, season, latitude, and solar cycle. These variations result in differences on the order of 30% in the total ionospheric attenuation and should be included in absorption calculations.