During disturbed conditions the vertical circulation in the auroral zone is a key element in the re-distribution of energy, momentum, and chemical constituents in response to forcing, but few direct measurements of the vertical winds in such conditions exist.

The AZURE mission consists of two rockets, AZURE-A and AZURE-B, which will be launched on two different disturbed nights at Poker Flat to measure the neutral flow parameters, the in-situ density and temperature profiles, and the composition profiles in order to address vertical circulation problems. AZURE will also attempt to obtain the first high-resolution measurements of the mesoscale (10 to 100 km) horizontal neutral flow structure, including the altitude profile of the flow divergence and vorticity, in the active region near magnetic midnight over a broad range of altitudes. Additional objectives include obtaining the first extended vertical wind profiles covering the full range of altitudes across the E region (AZURE-A) and in both the E and F region (AZURE-B) in disturbed conditions, determine the relative contribution of the barometric (compression and expansion) and dynamic (divergence and convergence) vertical velocity components in the lower E region across the altitude range of maximum Joule heating and compare in-situ composition measurements with the measured vertical wind profile and with the predictions of already-published numerical modeling results.

Ground-based incoherent scatter radar (PFISR) and the network of Fabry-Perot instrumentation in Alaska are employed for launch decision and context information, as well as for comparison with the flight data.