Scattering and depolarization of electromagnetic waves in irregular stratified spheroidal structures of finite conductivity – full wave analysis

Scattering and depolarization of electromagnetic waves in irregular stratified, spheroidal structures (bodies of revolution) are investigated. Using complete expansions for the electromagnetic fields, Maxwell's equations are converted into sets of first order coupled differential equations for the forward and backward wave amplitudes. To obtain these generalized telegraphists' equations, exact boundary conditions are imposed at each of the interfaces between the irregular layers of the structure and Green's theorems are used to avoid term-by-term differentiation of the complete expansions. The electromagnetic parameters of the medium are assumed to vary as functions of the radial distance and the latitude. Excitations by arbitrary distributions of electric and magnetic sources are considered. Thus, this work can be applied to propagation in irregular ionospheric and tropospheric ducts. The solutions are shown to satisfy duality and reciprocity relationships in electromagnetic theory.