A Complete Reference for the 21st CenturyUntil recently, much of the communications technology in the former Eastern bloc countries was largely unknown. Due to the historically competitive nature of East/West relations, scientific groups operated independently, without the benefit of open communication on theoretical frameworks and experimental technologies. As these countries have begun to bridge the gap and work in a more cooperative environment, the need has grown for a comprehensive guide which assimilates all the information in this vast knowledge bank. Ionosphere and Applied Aspects of Radio Communication and Radar meets the demand for an updated reference on this continually evolving global technology. This book examines the changes that have occurred in the past two or three decades. It thoroughly reviews ionospheric radio propagation, over-horizon and above-horizon radars, and miniature ionospheric stations used for investigating nonregular phenomena occurring in the ionosphere. In addition, it also comprehensively discusses land-satellite and satellite-satellite communications. This volume also reviews an area that has been all but ignored in previous works: the effects of plasma irregularities on radio waves propagation through the inhomogeneous ionosphere. Here, a heavy focus is placed on the effects of these irregular phenomena. And due to the recent wireless revolution, more attention than ever has been aimed on improving the efficiency of land-satellite and satellite-satellite communication networks, which are fully addressed. Included are-- Transport processes and photochemistry reactions occurring in the regular homogeneous ionosphereNonlinear phenomena occurring in the irregular ionosphereInstabilities in the inhomogeneous disturbed ionosphereVarious ambient natural and artificial sources and corresponding plasma irregularitiesWritten by two leading scientists, this book will be an invaluable guide to anyone working in this ever-changing field.