Undergraduate students, PhD students, and staff helped physicist Kristina Lynch complete a key phase of her NASA-funded aurora research mission.
In the early hours of Feb. 10, the tundra north of Fairbanks, Alaska roared to life under the flash of dual rocket launches. The heat and light were quickly swallowed by the vast icy landscape—save for the dancing green of the aurora overhead.
The two rockets belong to the Geophysical Non-Equilibrium Ionospheric System Science mission—GNEISS for short—led by Professor of Physics and Astronomy Kristina Lynch. GNEISS aims to collect data about how disturbances in Earth's ionosphere affect auroral formation, and vice versa. A NASA-funded mission with collaborators from UC Berkeley, the Naval Research Laboratory, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Alaska Fairbanks, SRI, University of New Hampshire, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and Wallops Flight Facility, GNEISS launched from the Poker Flat Research Range—owned by the University of Alaska and operated by NASA—about 35 miles north of Fairbanks.
The green and red lights of the aurora typically form in curtain-like sheets between 60 and 200 miles overhead, within the middle and upper portion of Earth's ionosphere. Energy from solar wind disturbs particles in the magnetosphere and accelerates them into the upper atmosphere, where they collide with molecules and atoms of gas. The energy from these collisions is released as light. This section of the ionosphere is energetic, turbulent, and not well understood. Lynch has built her career around piecing together the physics behind this phenomenon—GNEISS is the 16th mission she has been involved in.
My work involves trying to connect the plasma physics of what's happening where the rocket is with what the cameras see from the ground, so that we can learn to read the aurora.
- Kristina Lynch, PI
The two rockets launched 30 seconds apart and crossed an arc just above the visible aurora simultaneously. Their trajectories carried research instruments 200 miles overhead before landing about 240 miles north in the tundra. Each rocket carried instruments to gather data about electromagnetic activity and particle movement in the ionosphere, as well as four coffee-can-sized payloads ejected along the trajectory to gather a multi-point data set. Eleven ground stations along the flight path recorded accompanying radio signals, and about half captured all-sky photographs.
GNEISS was one of three missions to launch during the season at Poker Flat. The night before, the BADASS auroral research mission launched under the direction of Dartmouth alum Marilia Samara, Guarini '05, who studied under Professor of Physics and Astronomy Jim LaBelle while in the department and now works for NASA. Samara and Lynch are longtime friends and collaborators who closely monitored and celebrated each other's launches at Poker Flat.
Lynch's mission was years in the making, and it involved people at every level of the institution—from first-year undergraduates and PhD students to long-term engineering staff and machine shop mechanics. Building research instruments, assembling them onto rockets, launching everything into space, and collecting usable data required meticulous planning, dozens of dedicated experts, and several million dollars to ensure that hundreds of operations unfolded exactly right within a critical 30-minute window. The following images and videos capture some of the steps of the successful launch.
The array of radio receivers assembled, tested, and ready to be shipped to Alaska from Dartmouth's physics and astro department. These instruments were placed at ground stations under the rocket's flight path to record radio signals emitted from the rocket that were distorted by the aurora. Photo credit Tim Walters.
The full assembly of PIPs in Lynch's lab at Dartmouth. PIPs measure the flow of ions in the ionosphere, and are able to determine ion density and temperature. These instruments were attached as payloads on the two rockets. The dark coffee-can sized cylinders were ejected mid flight, and the silver structures stayed on the rocket for the full duration. Photo credit Rowan Kowalsky.
A group photo of students and staff at Dartmouth that worked with Kristina Lynch on the PIPs and recievers for GNEISS. This picture was taken in Lynch's lab. A receiver lattice is in the foreground, the PIPs are in the back, and Lynch's plasma chamber, called the Elephant, sits behind collaborators to the left. Photo credit Kelly Cantwell.
Lynch's grad students, Charle Acomb (Left) and Alex Mule (Right) worked at NASA's Wallops Flight Center in Virginia for several weeks to begin attaching the PIP payloads and radio transmitter to the rockets. Excitement is palpable.
Graduate student Charlie Acomb working on one of the GNEISS rockets at the Poker Flat research range in Alaska. His blue lab coat is specialized to prevent static charges from damaging sensitive electronic components. Photo credit Ace Stratton.
PIPs being attached onto one of the rockets at Poker Flat. These PIPs will stay on the body of the rocket for the full flight duration. Photo credit Charlie Acomb.
One of the PIP payloads that will be ejected mid flight is secured within the body of a rocket. Photo credit Charlie Acomb.
The main body of the rocket being assembled at Poker Flat. The nose cone will be attached to the left end. Photo credit Ace Stratton.
Kristina Lynch signing the nose cone of the 397 GNEISS rocket. The two rockets were designated as 397 and 398. Photo credit NASA and Teik Araya.
U.C Berkeley engineer Ace Stratton signing the nose cone of 397. Photo credit NASA and Teik Araya.
Radio receiver deployed in Coldfoot Alaska. This is one of eleven ground stations placed roughly alog the flight path of the two GNEISS rockets. The team had to ensure that all radio station equipment could maintain power in sub-arctic conditions. Picture credit Timothy Paul Smith.
Graduate student Alex Mule setting up a radio receiver near Chena Hot Springs. Chena Hot Springs is located relatively close to the launch site.
Pushing one of the GNEISS rockets over to the rails. To keep the research equipment warm enough in -30 F weather, the rocket is covered in quilts and later encased in styrofoam. The rockets are approximately 40 feet long. Photo credit Ace Stratton.
Moving one of the rockets towards the launch pad. Video credit Ace Stratton.
The launchpad is illuminated to spotlight the rails holding the rockets at Poker Flat. Various other outbuildings sit in the foreground. Photo credit NASA and Teik Araya.
Poker_flat_launch_pads.jpg
Both of the GNEISS rockets packed in styrofoam and loaded up onto the rail. The rail allows for NASA operators to orient the rocket and support the launch. The styrofoam is to insulate the research instrumets, and will come apart during launch. Photo credit NASA and Teik Araya.
gneiss_on_the_rails.jpg
Both GNEISS rockets on their rails and prepped for launch underneath a beautiful aurora. Photo credit Travis Jester.
Graduate student Charlie Acomb gives one of the final 'go's about 30 seconds before the first GNEISS rocket launch. Video credit Ace Stratton.
Composite image of both GNEISS rockets launching. Photo credit NASA and Teik Araya.
Initial moments of the BADASS rocket launch. BADASS launched the day before GNEISS. Photo credit NASA and Teik Araya.
Launch of the BADASS rocket into the aurora. Photo credit Isaac Stafstrom.
Timelapse of GNEISS rocket launches. Photo credit Mike Shumko.
Video of the rocket launches from the telemetry building. Video credit Ace Stratton. If you would like to watch the livestream countdown of the launches, you can watch the recorded video on the Poker Flat Research Range youtube account. The video starts at 00:04:15 before countdown.
Experimenters reacting to the successful rocket launches and the first glimpses of data coming through. Video credit Ace Stratton.
Meghan Burleigh and Leslie Lamarsh with Kristina begin to analyse initial flight data. Photo credit Rowan Kowalsky.
The scientist team congratulates Kristina Lynch after initial data indicated a beautiful and successful mission. Video credit Rowan Kowalsky.
Marilia Samara and Kristina Lynch share congratulations. Marilia Samara is the PI of the BADASS mission, which launched the day before GNEISS. Samara earned her PhD at Dartmouth. Photo credit Rowan Kowalsky.
Graduate students Charlie Acomb (left) and Alex Mule (right) shine a flashlight into the smoke still swirling from the launches. Photo credit Ace Stratton.
Professor Kristina Lynch addresses her entire launch crew after their successful flight. Photo credit Charlie Acomb.
Current and former Dartmouth researchers at Poker Flat for the BADASS and GNEISS missions. Photo credit Bryan Whitten, UAF GI.