Measurement of ionosphere activity from the Beacon satellite launched in 1964

The equipment switches on automatically at the correct times and records 4 different features of the satellite transmissions, along with timing marks, on a 4-track pen recorder. The equipment operated throughout 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1968 producing good records for more than 90% of the possible time. This makes a total of 20,000 individual transits recorded separately by the equipment, and completed the desired series of measurements covering the ascending phase of the sunspot cycle.

These records were analysed in full to determine the occurrence and characteristics of large ionospheric irregularities over a large section of the Antarctic ionosphere, including the geographic, geomagnetic and dip poles and extending across the auroral zone. Measurements were also collected all over the earth.