For the study of the various non-linear effects generated in ionospheric modulation experiments, accurate calculation of the field intensity variation in the whole reflection region for an electromagnetic wave vertically impinging upon the ionosphere is meaningful. In this paper, mathematical expressions of the electric field components of the characteristic heating waves are derived, by coupling the equation describing a wave initially impinging vertically upon the ionosphere with the Forsterling equation. The variation of each component of the electric field and the total electric field intensity of the standing wave pattern under a specific density profile are calculated by means of a uniform approximation, which is applied throughout the region near the reflection point. The numerical calculation results demonstrate that the total electric field intensity of the ordinary (O)-mode wave varies rapidly in space and reaches several maxima below the reflection point. Evident swelling phenomena of the electric field intensity are found. Our results also indicate that this effect is more pronounced at higher latitudes and that the geomagnetic field is important for wave pattern variation. The electric field intensity of the standing wave pattern of the extraordinary (X)-mode wave exhibits some growth below the reflection point, but its swelling effect is significantly weaker than that of the O-mode wave.