Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
E layer

E layer

9.6
A layer of the upper atmosphere about 80 to 145 kilometres above the ground that reflects medium-length radio waves
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : capa E
  • Radio signals can travel long distances at night because they are reflected by the E layer of the ionosphere.

Examples

  • The E layer is crucial for radio communications.

  • Scientists study changes in the E layer to improve radio communications.

  • During the experiment, the team measured ionization levels in the E layer.

  • Scientists study the E layer to improve signal transmission.

  • During radio broadcasts, signals can bounce off the E layer, allowing communication over long distances.

  • Amateur radio operators often rely on the E layer to send messages when conditions are favorable.

  • The E layer is crucial for certain radio frequencies, as it reflects waves back to Earth during the daytime.

Synonyms

E region
vsE layer
  • Specialized
8.1

Part of the upper atmosphere 50 to 90 miles above Earth that reflects medium radio waves

is the same but uses the word layer instead of region
Kennelly-Heaviside layer
vsE layer
  • Specialized
9.9

A layer of upper air high above the Earth that reflects medium-length radio waves

is the same but named with a letter instead of scientists' names
Heaviside layer
vsE layer
  • Specialized
9.1

A layer high above Earth that bounces back radio waves for long-distance radio

is the same but uses a letter label rather than a person's name

How High

F layer
  • Specialized
8.2
E layer
  • Specialized
9.6
D-layer
  • Specialized
9.5

Surface Forms

E layer singular
E layers plural

Morphology

E + layer

The noun 'layer' clearly signals a stratum, so a B1 learner who knows the words would infer that 'E layer' names some kind of layer (i.e., a labeled strata). However the letter 'E' here is a technical label referring specifically to a region of the ionosphere and to radio-wave reflection — information that is not derivable from the constituents alone, so the full specialized meaning is not predictable.

Etymology

E layer got its name when early radio scientists labelled bands high in the sky with letters, and the band called E was the layer that 'bounced' medium radio waves back to Earth. So E layer now means the charged band high above the ground that helps long-distance radio.