Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2003
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2003agufmsa41c..06j&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2003, abstract #SA41C-06
Physics
0340 Middle Atmosphere: Composition And Chemistry, 2129 Interplanetary Dust, 5405 Atmospheres: Composition And Chemistry, 6213 Dust, 6245 Meteors
Scientific paper
We present and discuss results from the first six months of a year-long observation campaign of the micrometeor influx in the upper atmosphere using the dual-beam 430 MHz Arecibo Observatory radar. The AO radar detects decelerating particles in the size range 0.5-100 microns for which precise altitude; instantaneous Doppler velocity (rms errors of the order of 10-100 m/sec) and (constant) deceleration are obtained. This provides a tool for the study of a mass-region of the interplanetary dust distribution and its influence to the mesopause that was previously inaccessible to ground-based instruments and helps bridge the gap between spacecraft dust measurements and traditional meteor radar capabilities. The meteor rate detected inside the 305 m-diameter radar beam peaks at sunrise ( ˜40 events per minute) when the radar points near the apex. We find the meteor flux rate as well as the geocentric velocity distribution to be strongly dependent on the topocentric declination implying a function with radiant ecliptic latitude. In addition, we present estimations of the total micrometeor mass flux derived from these observations, resulting in ˜2000 tons of meteoric material deposited over the whole earth each year in the 80-120 km altitude region. Preliminary results also show that the mass flux peaks in June (i.e. a function of ecliptic longitude) in agreement with diurnal measurements of metallic densities derived from lidar observations.
Janches Diego
Mathews John D.
Meisel David D.
Nolan Michael C.
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