A discrete VLF frequency of 3 kHz was successfully radiated by a modulated electron beam on a rocket launched into an active aurora. Instrumentation on this flight included a programable electron accelerator on the aft section with various particle and field detectors on the aft sections as well as the ejected forward payload. The accelerator programmer included a current modulation period at fixed electron energy for 0.45-s duration approximately every 11 s throughout the flight. In each of these program steps, 4-kV electrons are current modulated at a 3-kHz rate between Imin = 0 or 10 mA and Imax?80 mA. The forward payload, which was ejected at about 10 m/s, included a pair of spherical double probes seperated by 2.75 m and connected to a VLF receiver operating between 30 Hz and 18 kHz. Both this broadband receiver output as well as various narrow band channel outputs were directly telemetered to ground. Post flight spectrum analysis of the broadband VLF data clearly indicates that signals during the 3-kHz accelerator modulation periods were propagated to the forward payload. A detailed analysis of these modulated pulses detected by the VLF receiver is presented. A time-delay analysis between the start of the modulation and detection at the forward payload indicates time delays up to 0.2 s. The electron beam is believed to have produced a beam-plasma discharge making a radiation efficiency calculation difficult. However, absolute received signal strength was about 1 mV/m at 1.4-km separation. |