Educational
FORECAST SOL: Disturbed red MAG: Normal green ION: Normal green
Space Weather

Glossary of Solar Terrestrial Terms

Virtual Height

The apparent height of an ionospheric layer deduced from the time delay of a reflected radio pulse upon the assumption that it travelled at the speed of light over its entire path. However, the radio wave actually slows down as it is refracted so that the virtual height is greater than the true height of the refracting layer.

go to top of page