Observations of meteor showers with the meteor radar of KFU

Abstract. Northern Hemisphere midlatitude sporadic E (Es) layer occurrence rates derived from FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC GPS radio occultation (RO) measurements during the Geminid meteor showers 2006–2010 are compared with meteor rates obtained with the Collm (51.3° N, 13.0° E) VHF meteor radar. In most years, Es rates increase after the shower, with a short delay of few days. This indicates a possible link between meteor influx and the production of metallic ions that may form Es. There is an indication that the increase propagates downward, probably partly caused by tidal wind shear. However, the correlation between Es rates and meteor flux varies from year to year. A strong correlation is found especially in 2009, while in 2010 Es rates even decrease during the shower. This indicates that additional processes significantly influence Es occurrence also during meteor showers. A possible effect of the semidiurnal tide is found. During years with weaker tidal wind shear, the correlation between Es and meteor rates is even weaker.

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All-sky interferometric meteor radar meteoroid speed estimation using the Fresnel transform

Annales Geophysicae ◽

10.5194/angeo-25-385-2007 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 25 (2) ◽

pp. 385-398 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

D. A. Holdsworth ◽

W. G. Elford ◽

R. A. Vincent ◽

I. M. Reid ◽

D. J. Murphy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Speed ◽

Pulse Repetition ◽

Speed Estimation ◽

Meteor Radar ◽

Meteor Showers ◽

Temporal Sampling ◽

Upper Limit ◽

Alternative Techniques ◽

Fresnel Transform ◽

Good Agreement

Abstract. Fresnel transform meteor speed estimation is investigated. A spectral based technique is developed allowing the transform to be applied at low temporal sampling rates. Simulations are used to compare meteoroid speeds determined using the Fresnel transform and alternative techniques, confirming that the Fresnel transform produces the most accurate meteoroid speed estimates for high effective pulse repetition frequencies (PRFs). The Fresnel transform is applied to high effective PRF data collected during Leonid meteor showers, producing speed estimates in good agreement with the theoretical pre-atmospheric speed of the 71 kms−1. Further simulations for the standard low effective PRF sampling parameters used for Buckland Park meteor radar (BPMR) observations suggests that the Fresnel transform can successfully estimate meteor speeds up to 80 kms−1. Fresnel transform speed estimation is applied using the BPMR, producing speed distributions similar to those obtained in previous studies. The technique is also applied to data collected using the BPMR sampling parameters during Southern delta-Aquarid and Geminid meteor showers, producing speeds in very good agreement with the theoretical pre-atmospheric speeds of these showers (41 kms−1 and 35 kms−1, respectively). However, application of the Fresnel transform to high speed showers suggests that the practical upper limit for accurate speed estimation using the BPMR sampling parameters is around 50 kms−1. This limit allows speed accurate estimates to be made for about 70% of known meteor showers, and around 70% of sporadic echoes.

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