NEW METHOD FOR MEASURING THE ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF SEA WATER AND WET EARTH AT MICROWAVE FREQUENCIES.

This paper describes a new method for measuring the dielectric constant of highly conductive materials with loss tangent greater than about 0. 1 and conductivity around 1 mho/m or greater, such as sea water and wet earth. The method can be used over a continuous spectrum of frequencies and is easily adaptable to make in situ field measurements. The material being studied is substituted over a few centimeters of line length for the outer conductor of a dielectric filled 50- OMEGA coaxial line. The complex permittivity (dielectric constant and conductivity) of the material is determined from calculations based upon attenuation and phase shift measurements. Experimental procedure and results using NaCl solutions and sea water are presented.

Duke Scholars

Author William T. Joines Electrical and Computer Engineering