| Term: | scintillation |
| Definition: |
Describing a degraded condition of radio propagation characterized by a rapid variation in amplitude and/or phase of a radio signal (usually on a satellite communication link) caused by abrupt variations in electron density anywhere along the signal path. It is positively correlated with spread F and to a lesser degree, sporadic E. Scintillation effects are the most severe at low latitudes, but can also be a problem at high latitudes, especially in the auroral oval and over the polar caps. |