Interpretation of non-specular radar meteor trails

Details Interpretation of non-specular radar meteor trails Interpretation of non-specular radar meteor trails

Nov 2001

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001esasp.495..465d&link_type=abstract

In: Proceedings of the Meteoroids 2001 Conference, 6 - 10 August 2001, Kiruna, Sweden. Ed.: Barbara Warmbein. ESA SP-495, Noordw

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Meteors, Head Echoes, Radar Observations

Scientific paper

We present comparisons between plasma theory and radar observations to explain why radars only measure non-specular echoes of meteor trails within a limited altitude range. While large-aperture radars detect meteor head echos between 85 km and 135 km, non-specular trail reflections typically arrive from between 95 km and 105 km. Plasma simulations have demonstrated that meteor trails are often unstable to the growth of Farley-Buneman/gradient-drift (FBGD) waves. These waves frequently become turbulent and generate large field aligned irregularities (FAI)'s which allow radars to measure reflections. We present analysis of the meteor trail FBGD instability to show that trails are only unstable within a limited altitude range. To demonstrate this effect, we evaluate a number of radar observations obtained during the Leonid 1998 shower with the ALTAIR radar on the Kwajelein atoll. Using these analysis techniques, we show that the narrow condition for meteor trail instability leads to a non-specular trail dependency on meteor velocity. Finally, future work may provide new and exciting diagnostic tools for other meteor parameters, such as size, composition, and trail initial radius.

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