First Results From the Rocket Auroral Correlator Experiment

The Rocket Auroral Correlator Experiment (RACE) was launched into active aurora on February 6, 2002 at 9:38:51 UT. At this time the poleward edge of the auroral oval had contracted northward and the rocket traversed the northward region of the active forms. The rocket experiment was designed to investigate the interaction of high frequency waves and electrons. The payload was well-instrumented with two high frequency TM video channels to transmit continuous waveform data as well as high-sensitivity electron detectors to measure field aligned electron fluxes associated with wave activity. During the flight there were several regions of electron precipitation observed simultaneously with strong Langmuir waves. We present examples of the electron spectra and the waveforms associated with them. These results suggest that these Langmuir waves are driven by lower energy electron fluxes below 1-2 keV. We also present preliminary results from a new wave-particle correlator which suggests that the electrons are significantly phase-bunched by the wave electric field.