Numerical simulation of Spitze angle at Qingdao

In the process of using O-mode of high-power radio transmitter to heat the ionosphere, the heating effect strongly depends on the incident angle of the pump wave. The incident wave with different inclination angles will lead to different variations of ionosphere. In this study, the O-mode heating with different inclination angles in Qingdao were simulated using two-dimensional (2-D) finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) based on the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) theory. Qingdao is located in typical mid-latitude regions. The simulation was used to investigate the efficiency of the O-mode to Z-mode conversion in the ionosphere. The results presented the Spitze angle of Qingdao is 27°, which is consistent with the theoretical calculation. This work will provide a reference for ionospheric heating by oblique incidence in the middle and low latitude regions.