When the ionosphere increases its height at night, radio wave propagation improves as higher frequencies are able to reflect off the ionosphere back to Earth. This can enhance long-distance communication, making it easier for radio signals to travel over longer distances during nighttime hours.
The ionosphere is primarily influenced by solar radiation, which is abundant during the dayside of the Earth. During this time, ultraviolet (UV) and X-ray emissions from the Sun ionize atmospheric particles, creating a dense layer of charged ions. Conversely, on the nightside, the lack of direct solar radiation leads to a significant reduction in ionization, resulting in a much less active ionosphere. Thus, the effects observed in the ionosphere are predominantly tied to the presence of sunlight.
The ionosphere is more reflective at night because the absence of solar radiation allows for a higher concentration of ionized particles, particularly in the E and F regions. During the day, solar ultraviolet radiation ionizes the atmosphere, leading to a lower density of free electrons in certain layers. At night, the recombination of ions and electrons slows down, resulting in an increased density of reflective ions, which enhances the ionosphere's ability to reflect radio waves. This increased reflectivity can improve long-distance radio communication at night.
Eletromagnetic radiation with a frequency below the ionosphere's plasma frequency will generally be reflected. The specific frequency depends on the density of ionospheric plasma which can vary at different altitudes, but also different geomagnetic latitudes and from day to night. For a typical daytime mid-latitude ionosphere, the most dense part of the ionosphere, (the "F" region), will reflect radio frequencies up to ~2.8Mhz (assuming an electron density of 1e11 m-3).
Both water vapor and clouds are great greenhouse gasses, they block the loss of heat into outer space (at night).
When the ionosphere increases its height at night, radio wave propagation improves as higher frequencies are able to reflect off the ionosphere back to Earth. This can enhance long-distance communication, making it easier for radio signals to travel over longer distances during nighttime hours.
Ionosphere
Ionosphere
...AM stations transmit hundreds of miles at night. This extended transmission is possible is because of the ionosphere -- one of the layers of the atmosphere. It is called the ionosphere because when the http://wiki.answers.com/sun.htmrays hit this layer, many of the http://wiki.answers.com/atom.htmthere lose electrons and turn into ions.As it turns out, the ionosphere reflects certain frequencies of radio waves. So the waves bounce between the ground and the ionosphere and make their way around the planet. The composition of the ionosphere at night is different than during the day because of the presence or absence of the sun. You can pick up some radio stations better at night because the reflection characteristics of the ionosphere are better at night.­
The ionosphere is primarily influenced by solar radiation, which is abundant during the dayside of the Earth. During this time, ultraviolet (UV) and X-ray emissions from the Sun ionize atmospheric particles, creating a dense layer of charged ions. Conversely, on the nightside, the lack of direct solar radiation leads to a significant reduction in ionization, resulting in a much less active ionosphere. Thus, the effects observed in the ionosphere are predominantly tied to the presence of sunlight.
If you mean short waves, the answer is that the lower layer of the ionosphere (D layer) dissapears at night so short wave signals then bounce off a higher layer (F1 or F2) of the ionosphere and can travel further.
The Ionosphere reflects longer radio waves back to Earth. It varies in height going up at night giving the waves a long distance bounce.Flat vertical walls. Better refraction will Non-ferous metals. Horizontal plan will distort the image of the wave.\ CIV
The ionosphere is more reflective at night because the absence of solar radiation allows for a higher concentration of ionized particles, particularly in the E and F regions. During the day, solar ultraviolet radiation ionizes the atmosphere, leading to a lower density of free electrons in certain layers. At night, the recombination of ions and electrons slows down, resulting in an increased density of reflective ions, which enhances the ionosphere's ability to reflect radio waves. This increased reflectivity can improve long-distance radio communication at night.
There's a whole lot to it, actually, and real scientific. But basically, you can get AM radio from a distance at night, and only local during the day, because the straight waves of radio bounce from the ionosphere back to earth. The ionosphere is composed differently, depending on if it's day or night. When it's nighttime, the ionosphere reflects much better, thus you can hear stations from farther away.
Eletromagnetic radiation with a frequency below the ionosphere's plasma frequency will generally be reflected. The specific frequency depends on the density of ionospheric plasma which can vary at different altitudes, but also different geomagnetic latitudes and from day to night. For a typical daytime mid-latitude ionosphere, the most dense part of the ionosphere, (the "F" region), will reflect radio frequencies up to ~2.8Mhz (assuming an electron density of 1e11 m-3).
Radio signals under 30 MHz (give or take) are reflected off the ionosphere back to Earth, whereas radio signals over 30 MHz (give or take) normally go straight through the ionosphere. The maximum usable frequency (MUF) is the highest frequency reflected by the layers in the ionosphere. This frequency changes from day to night and with the seasons. It is also greatly affected by the 11 year sun spot cycle. Sun spots cause solar wind. This is a major cause for the ionisation of the ionosphere.
Energy from the sun interacts with the particles in the ionosphere, causing them to absorb AM radio frequencies. At night without solar energy, AM radio transmissions reflect off the ionosphere, allowing radio transmissions to be received at greater distances.