Formation and development of the Ukrainian network of meteor radio observations

Abstract

During the decade of research, the Research Institute “Mykolaiv Astronomical Observatory” (RI “MAO”) developed hardware and software for monitoring, extracting, and calculating the parameters of meteor phenomena using the forward scattering by meteor ionized trail of the signals of over-the-horizon FM-stations broadcasted in the frequency range of 88—108 MHz. This allowed creating a network of observations of meteor phenomena in the radio range, which consists of six stations located in Mykolaiv (three stations), Rivne, Lviv, and Hlukhiv. The stations have identical hardware and software. Yagi-Uda antennas with six or eight horizontal vibrators and SDR receivers based at RTR2832U microchip are used to receive radio signals. The station software performs continuous registration and analysis of received radio signals at the output of quadrature detectors of the receivers, automatic detection of moments of appearances of meteor reflections, formation, and sending by e-mail daily reports on detected meteor phenomena. Equipment setup and current monitoring of stations operations are carried out by the RI «MAO» using remote access to station computers via the Internet. Monthly reports on the number of meteor events recorded by each station are posted on the site of Radio Meteor Observation Bulletin (RMOB). The article presents the results, obtained by the network in 2017—2019, confirming a correspondence of daily variations in the number of meteors registered by network stations, to the known dependence (observation of meteors in the apex and antapex), as well as a correspondence between the expected characteristics (in time and intensity) of three meteor showers (Perseids, Geminids and Quadrantids) and that had been obtained by the network. Recommendations are also given in the article for additional research aimed at achieving the main goal, namely, expanding information about meteor phenomena, including the estimating of kinematic parameters (velocities, radiants) of meteoroids and their relationship with potentially hazardous asteroids.