In telecommunication, effective Earth radius is the radius of a hypothetical Earth for which the distance to the radio horizon, assuming rectilinear propagation, is the same as that for the actual Earth with an assumed uniform vertical gradient of atmospheric refractive index.
For the standard atmosphere, the effective Earth radius is 4/3 that of the actual Earth radius. The ratio of the effective Earth radius to the actual Earth radius is called the k factor.
Famous quotes containing the words effective and/or earth:
“I know no method to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their stringent execution.”
—Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885)
“I took him for the plainest harmless creature
That breathed upon the earth a Christian;
Made him my book, wherein my soul recorded
The history of all her secret thoughts.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)