A new analysis has shown concern that Elon Musk Space Company Space X Launched from California last week by The rocket A hole has probably been created in the Earth’s ionosphere.
The Falcon 9 rocket, launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on July 19, likely punched a hole in the ionosphere, the review said.
The ionosphere, or sphere, is a layer around the fluid Earth that contains the fourth type of plasma of matter, where a sea of electrically charged particles floats at an altitude of about 80 to 650 kilometers.
While reviewing the footage of the rocket launch, Jeff Baumgardner, an astrophysicist at Boston University in the United States, said, “It is quite possible that the launch created a hole in the ionosphere.”
He told US website spaceweather.com: ‘This is a well-studied phenomenon when rockets are releasing heat from their engines 200 to 300 kilometers above the Earth’s surface.’
Previous research has shown that with the increasing number of rocket launches around the world, holes in the ionosphere are becoming more common, making it possible to transmit radio communications to Earth.
The ionosphere is also dynamic and expands and contracts based on solar conditions. It is classified into sub-regions known as D, E and F. This classification is based on a layer’s ability to absorb wavelengths of solar radiation.
Studies show that flares from rockets and their engines can change the process by which charged particles form in this layer around Earth.
Rocket motions can also create large disturbances in the ionosphere that travel faster than the speed of sound and create shock waves in the layers.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was also launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on February 27, 2023 (AFP)
Research shows that as fast-moving rockets move toward the edge of space, they release water and carbon dioxide that can reduce the ionization process by two-thirds.
They particularly affect the F layer of the ionosphere, the subregions of which have the highest electron density.
This section contains related reference points (Related Nodes field).
Holes in the ionosphere caused by rockets are identified by their red color because the oxygen ions in this layer react with electrons from the rocket’s emission.
Experts said it produces light at the same wavelength as the red aurora.
Previous rockets launched by SpaceX also created holes in the ionosphere.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched in August 2017 produced massive circular shock acoustic waves in the ionosphere about five minutes after carrying Taiwan’s Formosat 5 satellite.
As a rocket carrying a payload launches directly above the ionosphere, it creates a circular shock wave on the crust.
A study of the phenomenon, published in the journal Space Weather, found that a large hole formed in the ionosphere about 10 minutes into the flight.
The scientists wrote in the study: ‘The rocket plume later produced an ionospheric plasma hole of mass 900 km in diameter with a TET reduction of 10 to 70 percent compared to reference days.’
#hole #Earths #ionosphere #feared #SpaceX #rocket
What is the potential impact of rocket launches on the Earth’s ionosphere?
## Interview with Astrophysicist Jeff Baumgardner on SpaceX Rocket and Ionospheric Holes
**Interviewer:** Dr. Baumgardner, thank you for joining us today. Recent reports suggest that the recent SpaceX Falcon 9 launch may have created a hole in the Earth’s ionosphere [[1]]. Can you explain what that means and why it’s a concern?
**Dr. Baumgardner:** It’s accurate to say a disruption in the ionosphere was likely caused by the launch. When rockets like the Falcon 9 ascend through a region of the atmosphere about 200 to 300 kilometers up, their engines release heat. This intense heat can temporarily displace the electrically charged particles that make up the ionosphere, creating a kind of hole in that layer. [[1]]
**Interviewer:** Does this happen with every rocket launch?
**Dr. Baumgardner:** Yes, this is a well-studied phenomenon. It’s not necessarily a “hole” in the sense of an empty space, but rather a localized and temporary decrease in the density of charged particles. However, with increasing rocket launches globally, these disruptions become more frequent and might have cumulative effects on the ionosphere. [[1]]
**Interviewer:** What are the potential implications of these disruptions?
**Dr. Baumgardner:** The ionosphere plays a crucial role in managing radio communications with satellites and even GPS signals. Disturbances in this layer can potentially interfere with these communication systems. Since the ionosphere is dynamic and reacts to solar conditions, understanding how rocket launches affect it is crucial to ensure reliable communication systems. [[1]]
**Interviewer:**
Thank you for shedding light on this important topic, Dr. Baumgardner.
**[End Interview]**
**Note:** This interview is based on the information provided in the given web search result.
