Anomalous Dielectric Constant of Artificial Ionosphere

Abstract

APROPOS our letter in NATURE of October 2, p. 586, it has been pointed out to us by Prof. E. V. Appleton and Dr. F. W. Chapman that though the curves delineating the variations of μ² with N and 1/f² are quite correct, they cannot, however, be regarded as showing the relation between K and N, or 1/f². In fact μ² can be identified with ^K only when υ = 0. In the general case, for a conducting medium, . Thus, though μ² can take up values both greater and less than unity, as depicted in Figs. 1 and 2 of our letter, K cannot do so because can only have values equal to or less than unity.