Anomalous propagation

Anomalous propagation is a big word that means something is happening to the way something travels through the air. Have you ever noticed how your voice sounds different when you're talking underwater or how objects look wavy when you look at them? That's because the water or air is different and affects the way things move.

The same thing can happen in the atmosphere. When the air temperature changes, it can cause radio waves, which are like invisible sound waves, to bend or bounce in strange ways. This can cause things like echoes, where you hear the same sound over and over again, or even make it seem like something is closer than it really is.

It's important to understand anomalous propagation because it can affect things like weather forecasts and airplane communications. Scientists and experts use special tools and equipment to study the atmosphere and understand when and where these changes are happening so they can predict and plan for them.