Numerical Simulation of Ionospheric Disturbances Due to Rocket Plume and Its Influence on HF Radio Waves Propagation

Abstract

In this paper, the ionospheric disturbances of CO2, which is released by rocket exhaust plumes, was simulated. The effect of this disturbance on the propagation of high-frequency (HF) radio waves at different incident frequencies was also simulated by using three-dimensional digital ray tracing technique. The results show that CO2 can effectively dissipate the background electrons and form ionospheric holes after being released in the ionosphere. At the peak height of ionospheric electron density (about 300 km), the electrons are dissipated fastest and the radius of ionospheric hole is also largest. This is due to the fact that the diffusion coefficient of CO2 usually increases with height while the electron density just increases before reaching its peak height and then decreases with height, and the chemical reaction rate between ions and CO2 also becomes largest at the peak height of electron density (about 300 km). Around 100 s after the release of CO2, when the radio waves at a frequency of 8 MHz pass through the ionosphere with an elevation range of 85~95°, the “secondary focusing effect” can occur, and we believe that this is due to the reflection of HF shortwaves on the walls of the ionospheric holes. With time going on, this phenomenon disappears at 300 s and only one focus is left at this time. For the HF shortwaves at same incident frequency, the focusing effect of waves displays a weakening trend with time increasing, and the height of focus center also ascends gradually. At the same time after CO2 releasing, with the increasing of radio waves frequency, the focusing effect also becomes weaker and the focus center displays an ascending trend.