Physics
Scientific paper
Mar 1987
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1987jatp...49..243o&link_type=abstract
Journal of Atmospheric and Terrestrial Physics (ISSN 0021-9169), vol. 49, March 1987, p. 243-258.
Physics
34
Radar Echoes, Radar Tracking, Radio Meteors, Statistical Distributions
Scientific paper
Conventional meteor radars operating at wavelengths of around 5-15 m, are unable to detect high-altitude meteors due to the wavelength-dependent echo ceiling. It is suggested that the 'missing mass' in the 0.000001-0.01 g range of interplanetary material is in fact a high-velocity component which is normally undetected since it ablates at high altitude. In this paper, measurements of the heights of radio meteors (limiting magnitude of about +7) at a wavelength of 150 m (frequency of 2 MHz) are described for which the echo ceiling is above 140 km. The resultant true height distribution is found to peak at about 104 km, about 10 km above the peak found by conventional meteor radars. The majority of meteors are detected at or above this peak, and substantial numbers are seen right up to 140 km. It is therefore concluded that the 'missing mass', comprising the vast majority of the meteoric input to the atmosphere, ablates well above 100 km.
Elford Graham W.
Olsson-Steel Duncan
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