Analysis of layered media terminated with an impedance surface varying in lateral directions

Abstract

Determination of the constitutive parameters of a region from data provided by remote sensing is an extremely interesting and important topic from various points of view. In a large class of problems of this type, the region to be explored is not bounded but layered. When a layered region is electromagnetically penetrable from both sides, it can be explored through some already known methods dwelling on the analytical expressions of the reflection and refraction coefficients. But the situation is quite converse if both sides of the layered media is not accessible. This work is devoted to the case where the layered media to be explored is limited from one side by an impedance plane whose impedance varies in one direction while the other side is not accessible. It is assumed that the impedance of the plane boundary consists of n parts having constant Impedances. The atmosphere above the earth surface constitutes a typical example of such a configuration.