How does atmospheric refraction impact radar signals?

Atmospheric refraction significantly impacts radar signals by causing bending. This bending occurs due to the change in the speed of radar waves as they pass through varying layers of the atmosphere, which differ in temperature and humidity. When radar signals traverse these layers, their paths are bent towards regions of denser air, which can affect how radar waves propagate over long distances.

This bending can lead to radar signals following the curvature of the Earth more closely, potentially allowing for greater detection ranges in some situations, but primarily it alters the angle at which signals are received. Understanding this phenomenon is critical for radar operators, as it can influence the accuracy and effectiveness of radar systems, potentially improving target detection capabilities but also complicating the interpretation of radar data.

While other options touch on related concepts, they do not accurately characterize the primary effect of atmospheric refraction on radar signals. For example, it does not clean unwanted noise, directly increase range in a straightforward manner, or inherently improve resolution, as these aspects are addressed by different factors in radar technology.