IPS - Space Weather - Glossary of Solar Terrestrial Terms

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Home Educational Space Weather What is Space Weather Glossary of Solar Terrestrial Terms	FORECAST SOL: Moderate MAG: Normal ION: Moderate	Wednesday, Feb 08 2012 23:35 UT

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Space Weather

Glossary of Solar Terrestrial Terms

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Virtual Height

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.