Auroral Electrons Observed Using a Mother-Daughter Rocket

Abstract

This paper presents results obtained from the Skylark rocket, S77/1, launched from Esrange, Kiruna at 2226:50 U.T. on March 2, 1972. It was launched over a broad auroral band during the onset of a geomagnetic bay. With this experiment it was possible to resolve spatial and temporal intensity variations of precipitating auroral electrons. This was achieved by mounting a separate payload with its own telemetry and ejecting it axially forward from the main payload. It was ejected at an altitude of 93 km with a separation velocity of 24 m s⁻¹. The horizontal separation between the two payloads, measured across magnetic field lines, increased throughout the flight to a maximum of 3 km.