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Redirected from: Doppler shift

Definition: Doppler effect


The change in electromagnetic frequency that occurs when the source of the radiation and its observer move toward or away from each other. The faster they come together, the higher the frequency. The faster they move away, the lower the frequency. Discovered by Austrian physicist Christian Doppler (1803-1853), this condition has a great effect on low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites as they weave towards and away from the earth. See Doppler radar.