PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - EgyptAir 804 disappears from radar Paris-Cairo
Old 1st Jun 2016, 01:11
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underfire
 
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Sorry, but salt water to air transmission, especially SAT receiver, would be virtually impossible, especially at the frequencies and power noted. VLF radio waves (3–30 kHz) can penetrate seawater to a depth of approximately 20 meters.

Attenuation of radio signals in sea water is significant. Communication further than just below the surface are not possible unless very low frequencies (10 to 30 kHz) are used. Even if you could use the frequencies in this band, there are other difficulties:

Air to water refraction loss in this band is in the order of 60 to 70 dB.

Antenna dimensions would need to be very large, particularly for the above the surface antenna. (Even at 30 kHz, a wavelength is 10 km). Large transmitter powers are usually required to compensate for the high antenna losses inherent in the shortened low frequency antenna. (remember the Omega system?)

Atmospheric noise peaks to about 160 dB above thermal noise (KTB) at 10 kHz, limiting the minimum discernible receive level.
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