Imbert-Fedorov shifts of electromagnetic waves due to the ionosphere

Abstract

We present the out-of-plane reflection shifts of an electromagnetic wave propagating from earth to the ionosphere. We model the ionosphere as a plasma in a static uniform magnetic field and calculate the shifts of 45° linearly and right circularly polarized light due to the ionized layer. This study is of potential use in signal manipulation and in characterizing the ionosphere using shifts.