Investigating the Impact of Rocket Exhaust on Ionospheric Disturbances

The study of chemical releases into the ionosphere is crucial for understanding ionospheric dynamics and managing space environmental effects. In this work, we investigate the impact of rocket exhaust emissions, particularly CO 2 and H 2 O, on electron density in the ionosphere. To accurately capture the T e ‐dependent chemical and transport processes, we develop a TIE‐GCM–based deep neural network (DNN) inversion model that infers diffusion and reaction coefficients directly from reconstructed electron density. Using this framework, continuous rocket exhaust releases are modeled as a series of point sources along the launch trajectory, enabling realistic simulations of the spatial and temporal evolution of H 2 O and CO 2 diffusion and the resulting electron density depletion. Our results demonstrate that rocket‐released chemicals induce pronounced “electron holes” in the F‐layer, with the DNN inversion model effectively capturing the temperature‐sensitive chemical responses that are often underestimated by empirical models. This approach not only enhances the predictive accuracy of ionospheric electron density variations but also provides a robust framework for studying coupled chemical‐dynamical processes in the near‐Earth space environment.