NASA Sounding Rocket Launches into Alaskan Aurora

Images

Thursday, 09 November 2023

A sounding rocket launched from Poker Flat Research Range in Fairbanks, Alaska, Nov. 8, 2023, carrying the DISSIPATION mission. The rocket launched into aurora and successfully captured data to understand how auroras heat the atmosphere and cause high-altitude winds.

Image Credit: NASA/Lee Wingfield

Planetary Positions

27.04.2024 at 22:52:01 UTC

Planet	Longitude
The Sun	08 Tau 09' 11"
The Moon	24 Sag 08' 24"
Mercury	16 Ari 13' 14"
Venus	28 Ari 07' 05"
Mars	27 Pis 55' 16"
Jupiter	23 Tau 24' 45"
Saturn	16 Pis 21' 59"
Uranus	22 Tau 12' 50"
Neptune	28 Pis 50' 11"
Pluto	02 Aqu 05' 54"

Solar Status

BZ Status:	-3
Proton Density:	1.71
Proton Speed:	431.4 k/sec
KP Status:	3.00

Type	Apr 28	Apr 29	Apr 30
Active	35%	30%	20%
Minor	15%	10%	10%
Moderate	5%	1%	1%
Strong	1%	1%	1%
Kp Index Prediction
00-03UT	3.67	2.67	2.33
03-06UT	3.33	2.00	2.67
06-09UT	3.33	2.33	2.00
09-12UT	3.67	2.67	2.00
12-15UT	3.00	2.33	1.67
15-18UT	2.67	2.33	1.67
18-21UT	2.00	2.33	2.67
21-00UT	2.00	2.67	1.67
Solar Activity
Solar activity declined to low levels this period with only C-class flare activity observed. Region 3654 (S08W16, Ehi/beta-gamma) remained the largest region on the disk and exhibited moderate development in the intermediate and trailer spots. Region 3657 (S15W25, Bxo/beta) reemerged with a few rudimentary spots and new Region 3660 (N10E71, Axx/alpha) was numbered. The remaining regions were either stable or in decay. No Earth-directed CMEs were detected in available imagery.
Solar Wind
The solar wind environment was enhanced due to likely CME activity early in the period, followed by the onset of positive polarity CH HSS influences. Total field strength reached a peak of 17 nT and the Bz component was sustained southward through the first half of the period, with a peak deflection of -11 nT observed. During the latter half of the period, the Bz component rotated northward with only brief southward deflections observed. Solar wind speeds were steady between 300-350 km/s until 27/0230 UTC, when speed values slowly increased to a period high of around 550 km/s. The phi angle transitioned from negative to positive at 26/1502 UTC.
Energetic Particle
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux was at normal to moderate levels and the greater than 10 MeV proton flux was steady at background levels.

NASA Sounding Rocket Launches into Alaskan Aurora

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