Broadband Observations of Propagation Anomaly of VHF WavesTransmitted from Oversea Broadcasting Stations

Toshiaki TAKANO ( l , z , 3 ) , Kurt SAKAI(I),Ikuo NAGASHIMA('), Hiroyuki NAKATA('), Hiroaki AKAIKE(1).Satoshi UJIGAWA(l), Han HIGASA(1).and Shin SHIMAKURA(',',')
(IjGraduate School of Science and Technology, Chiba University, Inage, Chiba 263-8522. Japan, takauo~facultv.cliiba-u.ir,. (*'Faculty of Engineering, Chiba University, ( W e n t e r for Frontier Electronics and Photonics, Chiba University Abstract Broadband spectra in VHF band are regularly observed in Chiba. Japan. to investigate anomaly of propagation of broadcasting waves from distant Asian broadcasting stations. TV broadcasting waves froin China. Philippines, TIM, Malaysia. and so on can sometimes propagate and there are t l m types of propagations. Seasonal and daily variatioils of received broadcasting waves were investigated through two-year observations We are also pelionning a simulation with the ray tracing method. In results, these propagations are caused by refraction in F2 layer, by scattering on plasma bubbles. and by reflection in Es layer. Keywords: propagation of electromagnetic wave. VHF wave_ ionosphere. precursor of earthquakes. electron density in ionosphere which is located at the south end of Boso peninsula [1-3]. The observatory is on a small lull several kilometers away from the city area of Tateyama. A horizontally polarized 5-element Yagi antenna and a wide-band LPDA (Log-Periodic Dipole Array) antenna were used for the ObSeNatiOIB directed to the west in the horizontal direction. We observed 47.5-52.5MHz band using the Yagi antenna. and 50-76MHz band using the LPDA antenna. The altitude of the antennas is about 64m above the sea level. Received signal with the antenna was amplifted with a pre-amplifier attached right under the antenna and transferred to an obsewation house by 50m-long coavial cable. The gain of the pre-amplifier is about 25dB. A spectrum analyzer is used to obtain the spectral characteristics of the received signal. The analyzed data of every 20 seconds are stored on a hard disk of a personal computer.
3. Oversea broadcasting waves

1. Introduction
In order to investigate ionospheric disturbance. we have observed electromagnetic waves in VHF band in Cluba prefecture. Japan, since 1999[1-61. . I n these observations. we found long distance propagation of TV broadcasting waves, wluch was possibly affected by any ionospheric changes. But ionospheric changes also occur under the influences of daily and annual solar activity, meteorological conditions, and so on. Therefore, o understand the behavior of the we have L propagatiiig waves under the normal conditions, and we observed long distance propagation of Tv broadcasting waves for 2 years.
3.1 Identification of frequencies Typical observational results are shown in Fig. 1 Upper panel shows an example of the spectra in fall (October 23, 2001) and lower panel shows that in summer (August l5_2001). The radio band including these frequencies is allocated in Japan to Japanese anny, radio ham and emergency broadcastings and so on. and there exist no domestic broadcasting stations which regularly transinit radio waves. In Fig.1, signals at several certain frequencies are received. Intensities of those signals change with time, but that at each frequency is fairly stable. Signals shown in Fig.1 have some side-band emissions in a few MHz. These facts suggest that these are TV broadcasting waves from outside of Japan and propagate occasionally with soIne favorable in ionosphere.

2. Observation system We have o b s e n d radio waves in VHF band at Titeyallm observatory in C l u b Prefecture, Japan,

0 2004 IEEE. 0-7803-8404-0/~4/$20.00

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Fig.1 . Typical daily spectra in spring (upper panel) and summer (lower panel)

F i g 2 Received TV signal spectrogram at 22:OOJST on Aug.l5,2001 22:OO of the upper panel of Fig.1 is shown in Fig.2. We can find many broadcasting stations were received. We compared these frequencies to TV broadcasting stations of surrounding countries of Japan. The identified frequencies from China, Thailand & Malaysia (CCR) and Philippines are shown in Fig.2.

In order to ascertain it a TV broadcasting wave, n e received the signal at 49.75MHz using a worldwide TV receiver and found it is the first clrumel of Chinese TV broadcasting in pictures. We identified the frequencies from other broadcasting stations. A cut of the spectrum at

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3.2 Seasonal and diurnal variations We observed these TV broadcasting waves for inore tlum hvo years. Seasonal and diurnal variations of selected TV broadcasting waves are then shown in Fig's 3 and 4.
3,3 Types of propagation

We can classify these propagations of TV into three types as based on the frequency characteristics aud seasonzil and d i m 1 variations as sho~vii in Fig.1. Type A propagation is observed in 8:OO-20:00 JST in spring and fall and iiiaximniii propagating frequency fluctuates up to around 60 MHz. Type B appears in 20:OO-24:00 JST in spring and fall at wide frequencies in the observing range. Type C is obselved in summer mainly for China TV waves.
rimes

3.4 Mechanisms of propagation The distances from the observation point to the Chinese. Malaysia, and Philippines TV stations a.re 800km, 5200k1n. 2800km. respectively. Supposing that a broadcasting wave is reflected w,ith one-hop by the ionosphere, the Es layer is required to reflect the China TV waves. and the F2 layer altitude is required for the Malaysia and Philippines TV waves. The height profiles of electron density in the ionosphere have seasonal and diurnal vwiation. Es layer becomes active in sununer and the electron density in F2 layer becomes high in spring and fall in the area between the transmitting countries and the obsewatory. These characteristics seem to fit with the observed charactenstics of each Type.

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r:,3,=li>Tl

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Fig.3. Variation of received TV broadcasting waves from China (49.75 & 64.25MHz)

Fig.4. Variation of received TV broadcasting waves from Thailand and Malaysia (CCIR) (48.25 and 62.25MHz)

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4. Computer simulation of mechanisms

We are also pcrfornung coniputer simulations by mealis of tlie ray-tracing method [6].We have found that the F2 layer from daytime to evening in spring and fall refracts 5OMHz electroiiiagnetic n ' a w as sliown in Fig.5. Moreover. diurnal variations of the iiiasiinuiii propagating frequencies are also obtained in the simulations. wliich are found to be in good agrrenient witli tlie characteristics of obscned Type A propagation. Tlicse facts suggest that Type A is mainly the Malaysia broadcasting ma\'es reflected by tlie F2 layer. Type B propagation is possibly scattering with plasnu bubbles, which emerge in the equatorial region in spring and fall. We niade of scattering with plasnia coniputer siniulatioi~ bobbles as well as coinparison to optical obsenrations of bubbles. These results support this mechanism for Type B propagation. Type C propagation is caused witli sporadic E layer in sunuiicr in daytime.

Aclinovvledgemcnts The authors express tlieir sincere thanks to Fuinio Ikegani. Faculty o f Phannaceiitical Sciences of Chi% University for his great help for us to use the Medical Plant Garden at TateFina. They also express their thanks to Seiya Uycda and Tosluyasu Nagao of RTKEN International Frontier Prograni, on Earthquakes for tlieir great supports to tlus w o k Masaslii Haykawa. the University of Electro-Communications. greatly encouraged them during the work. This work was supported in part by lhe Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research of the Miiustq of Education. Science, Sports and Culture (11874065). and by RIKEN Intematioiul Frontier Prograiii on Eartliquakc Research

References

Fig.5. Computer siniulation of propagation Radio waves transmitted from Malaysia can propagate only i n Noveiiiber first at 18:OO (JST) in the siniulatioii results.

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