Spatial-temporal characteristics of the ionospheric disturbance induced byshock acoustic waves due to rocket launching

The main parameters of the ionospheric response to the propagation of shock acoustic waves initiated by launches of Soyuz and Proton rockets from the Baikonur spaceport are studied. A method is proposed for measuring the hori zontal component of the phase velocity of the ionospheric disturbance wave and determining the direction of its arrival. The method is based on spatia l-temporal processing of the total electron content distribution obtained b y transionospheric sounding of the ionosphere by the satellite GPS system. The spatial-temporal characteristics of the ionospheric disturbance caused by shock acoustic waves initiated by rocket launches in 1999 and 2000 are s tudied.