Uncovering auroral processes with sounding rocket missions

Small and fast-changing features within Earth’s aurora are an ill-understood portion of Earth’s magnetosphere and the Sun-Earth system. One way to investigate these phenomena is through direct measurement of the particles that create aurorae in conjunction with ground-based observations of optical auroral structures. We present new results from the Ground Imaging to Rocket investigation of Auroral Fast Features (GIRAFF) and Black And Diffuse Auroral Science Surveyor (BADASS) sounding rocket missions. GIRAFF launched two rockets targeting pulsating aurora in early 2025 from Poker Flat Research Range in Alaska, and BADASS launched one rocket targeting black aurora from the same location earlier this year. These missions carried a unique suite of particle instruments designed to capture electrons and ions with high time resolution and resolved energy spectra. Here, we present electron energy spectra that capture evidence of a wide variety of auroral features, including discrete features and pulsating aurora, as well as diffuse aurora seen on BADASS. These observations are complemented by simultaneous ground-based observations, as well as on-board electric and magnetic field measurements. The ground-based cameras included both all-sky and narrow field imagers also capturing the aurora at high time resolution. This work matches auroral features from the particle instruments to the ground-based optical observations, correlating precipitating electrons to the visible aurora created. The auroral electrons detected during this mission supply new data to help determine the mechanisms creating pulsating aurora as well as uncover processes that drive MIT interactions.