Radiowave frequency ranges

spaceweb@oulu.fi - last update: 24 November 1998, 1335 UT

Radiowave Frequency Ranges
Abbr. Name Frequencies
ELF Extremely Low Frequencies 30 - 300 Hz
VF Voice Frequencies 0.3 - 3 kHz
VLF Very Low Frequencies 3 - 30 kHz
LF Low Frequencies 30 - 300 kHz
MF Medium Frequencies 0.3 - 3 MHz
HF High Frequencies 3 - 30 MHz
VHF Very High Frequencies 30 - 300 MHz
UHF Ultra High Frequencies 0.3 - 3 GHz
SHF Super High Frequencies 3 - 30 GHz
EHF Extremely High Freqiencies 30 - 300 GHz

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has defined the radiowave frequency ranges as shown in the table. Note that most of the plasma waves occurring in the magnetosphere are "ultra-low-frequency" (ULF) range geomagnetic pulsations occurring below 5 Hz, i.e., outside of this classification. Their high frequency limit corresponds to magnetospheric ion gyrofrequencies (which are low because of small B and high m).

On the other hand, wave types relating to electrons, or those created at the ionospheric altitudes, can reach frequencies covered by the table (ELF - VLF). Instruments like incoherent radars work typically at VHF and UHF frequencies.

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