Preliminary measurements of auroral energy deposition and middle atmosphere electrodynamic response during MAC/Epsilon

On the nights of October 21 and 28, 1987 (UT), two Nike Orion payloads (NASA 31.066 and 31.067) were launched from Andoya, Norway, as part of the MAC/Epsilon campaign, to study auroral energetics and their effect on the middle atmosphere. Each payload carried instrumentation to measure relativistic electrons from 0.1 to 1.0 MeV in 12 differential channels, and Bremsstrahlung X-rays from greater than 5 to greater than 80 KeV in 5 integral channels. In addition, instrumentation to measure ion densities and electric fields were also included on these and, in the case of 31.066, on other near simultaneous payloads. The first flight, 31.066, was launched under pre-magnetic midnight conditions during relatively stable auroral conditions. Flight 31.067 was launched during post-breakup conditions at which time pulsations of approx. 100 seconds duration were evident. The measured radiations including their spectral characteristics are compared for these two events, to appraise their effect on the electrodynamic properties of the middle atmosphere as determined by other rocket-borne measurements.