Research on the disturbance of ballistic missile to ionosphere by using 3D ray tracing method

This study uses the 3D ray tracing to analyse ionospheric disturbance generated by a ballistic missile plume (which was simulated in our previous work). Ray tracing results show that the 6 MHz radio waves are completely reflected by the ionosphere and cannot reach the ionospheric disturbance zone. The 8 MHz radio waves partially penetrate the ionospheric disturbance zone, producing a focusing effect. Most of the 10 MHz radio waves pass through the ionosphere and the disturbance zone. The focusing effect and focus height are reduced. In the height range 65?400 km, the ray absorption loss of reflection is greater than the transmitted ray. When the ray is reflected multiple times in the cavity formed by the plume, ray absorption loss greatly increases.