Affiliated with the
Communication & Space
Sciences Laboratory
Dr. Anthony Ferraro (Retired)
Distinguished Professor EmeritusEMAIL: ajf4@psu.edu
Dr. Ferraro has been the principal investigator of several Office of Naval Research contracts through which he proved the feasibility to generate extremely low frequency (ELF) radio signals by modulating the ionosphere current systems from ground based high frequency transmitting facilities. Not only was generation possible, but he conducted numerous experiments to conclusively demonstrate that these signals could propagate several thousand kilometers and be successfully received by this method of generation. The immediate potential of such an ionosphere antenna for ELF generation is for long-path communications to meet future Navy needs. He has developed the detailed theory of coupling of ELF energy from ionosphere sources into the earth-ionosphere waveguide, evaluated the efficiency of such a technique, developed ELF receiver design procedure, conducted ELF communication system analysis and designed high-frequency transmitting arrays for generating ELF.
Dr. Ferraro is one of two researchers that was awarded the Office of Naval Research "Selected Research Opportunities" grant for 1981-1983 and was awarded a University Research Initiative Grant from the Office of Naval Research to conduct research on ULF/ELF generation at high latitudes. He was the recipient of the IEEE 1984 Centennial Medal and was elected in 1988 as a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Dr. Ferraro developed the theory and concept of radio wave phase interaction, which is used as a diagnostic tool to study the ionosphere. He authored several papers on the theory of ionospheric heating and implemented experiments which used these effects to measure ionospheric parameters. He was involved in the design of several ionospheric heating facilities at locations around the world including Puerto Rico, Alaska, Colorado, Norway, and Penn State. The Penn State facility was the first heating facility in the western hemisphere that Dr. Ferraro implemented in the early 1960's. In those days, the focus was on modeling the lower regions of the ionosphere and improving the knowledge of the physics and chemistry of the ionosphere.
Dr. Ferraro has been closely involved with the design and development with the High-Frequency Active Auroral Program (HAARP) in association with ARCO Power Technology, Inc. and Penn State University. This program is jointly managed by the Office of Naval Research and Phillips Laboratory. During that period he held a joint appointment with the Applied Research Laboratory.
