It is shown that the scattering of electromagnetic waves by refractive index inhomogeneities in a continuous random medium is accompanied by a certain polarimetric phenomenon that is analogous to the Brewster effect of classic electrodynamics. In this paper, an observational method and results are discussed for the case of bistatic HF radar sounding of small-scale ionospheric inhomogeneities at frequencies above MUF. The height of the scattering layer, its thickness, and characteristic plasma drift velocity in the ionosphere are estimated as a result of statistical processing.¿ 1997 American Geophysical Union