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Source: Wikipedia

Context

NASA will launch rockets from a remote Pacific island to study ' mysterious' high-altitude cloud-like objects that could damage key communication networks. Sporadic-E ElectroDynamics (SEED) would launch an uncrewed suborbital spacecraft with research instruments from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands on Friday, June 13, for three weeks.

What are sporadic E layers?

Sporadic E layers are thin, irregular layers of high ionization that form intermittently in the ionosphere's E zone, usually at altitudes ranging from 90 to 130 kilometers.

How are sporadic-E layers formed?

• The ionosphere, a layer of the Earth's atmosphere ranging from 60 to 1,000 kilometers, is composed of charged particles or ions. 
• Some of these ions are produced by meteors, which burn up in the atmosphere, leaving traces of ionized iron, magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium suspended in the sky.
• These "heavy metals" are larger than the ionosphere's regular occupants and descend to lower altitudes, below 140 kilometers. They occasionally clump together, forming thick clusters known as Sporadic-E layers.
• While scientists can explain the presence of Sporadic-E layers in midlatitudes, they still don't fully comprehend their presence near the equator.

What is the ionosphere layer?

The ionosphere is a portion of the Earth's upper atmosphere that ranges in altitude from around 60 km to 1000 km. It is distinguished by the presence of many unbound electrons and ions. These charged particles are produced when solar radiation (such as ultraviolet and X-rays) and cosmic rays remove electrons from atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere (a process known as ionization).

How the Ionosphere Improves Radio Communication?

The Ionosphere is critical for long-distance radio transmission, especially high-frequency (HF) radio waves, often known as shortwave radio. When HF radio waves penetrate the ionosphere, they interact with free electrons. Depending on the frequency of the radio wave and the density of electrons in the Ionosphere, the waves can be bent or refracted back to the Earth's surface. This procedure permits radio signals to go beyond the line of sight, enabling global communication with relatively modest power.

Source: NDTV