GUIDED WAVE ANTENNA SYSTEM AND METHOD

Assignee

EYRING RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.

Filed

Oct 9, 1984

Granted

Jun 13, 1989

Location

PROVO UT US

Abstract

A novel underground guided wave antenna system and method. The system comprises at least one substantially linear, electrically insulated radiating element which is buried in the earth so as to lie no more than approximately one skin depth below the earth's surface. The effective electrical length of each radiating element is equal to at least one-third of the wavelength, as measured in the earth, of the electromagnetic signals being propagated; and the effective electrical length of a radiating element may be made greater than its actual physical length, if desired, by providing tree terminations at the ends of such radiating element. The efficiency of the system can be increased, particularly when operating at high frequencies, by surrounding the radiating elements with a low loss dielectric substance, such as, for example, crushed rock. Preferably, such dielectric substance is configured such that at least a portion of each radiating element adjacent at least one end thereof lies substantially adjacent the earth, while the remaining portions of each radiating element lies substantially adjacent the dielectric substance. In addition, the gain of the system can be significantly increased, while maintaining substantially the same radiation pattern, by forming an underground array comprising a plurality of the above-described radiating elements which are positioned substantially parallel to one another. Significantly, the distance between adjacent radiating elements in such an array can be as small as one-half of the skin depth in the earth of the electromagnetic signals being propagated.

Source: Google Patents