Multi-station electro-optical observations of the 1999 Leonid meteor storm

Brown, Peter; Campbell, Margaret D.; Hawkes, R. L.; Theijsmeijer, C.; Jones, J.

doi:10.1016/s0032-0633(01)00112-x

Cited by 33 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…The termination height of a specific meteor depends, among other factors, on its composition, size, velocity, and trajectory and is different for various showers and sporadic meteors. For example, during the 1999 Leonid storm, Brown et al [2000] found termination heights between 75 and 110 km (mean 95 ± 0.56 km). Slower meteors end at a lower altitude.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New observations of sprites from the space shuttle

et al. 2004

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[1] We present the results of space-based observations of sprites obtained during the Mediterranean Israeli Dust Experiment (MEIDEX) sprite campaign conducted on board the space shuttle Columbia during its STS-107 mission in January 2003. A total of $6 hours of useful data were saved from 21 different orbits, of which 1/5 contained lightning. We imaged sprites from an altitude of 280 km using a calibrated multispectral camera above thunderstorms in various geographical locations, mainly in central Africa, northern Australia, and South America, and also over the Pacific and Indian Oceans. In this paper we report on sprites observed from ranges 1600-2000 km from the shuttle, at altitudes of 40-90 km above the ground. Their brightness was in the range of 0.3-1.7 mega-Rayleighs (MR) in the 665 nm filter and 1.44-1.7 MR in the 860 nm filter. On the basis of the frequency of observed events and the number of tropical thunderstorms, we estimate the sprite rate in the tropics to be of the order of several per minute.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New observations of sprites from the space shuttle

et al. 2004

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“…Betlem et al, 2000;Campbell et al, 2000;Brown et al, 2002). The atmospheric mean free path is on the order of meters at these altitudes, which is enough to induce intense evaporation of volatiles from large (centimeters in size) fast meteoroids.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermalization of sputtered particles as the source of diffuse radiation from high altitude meteors

Vinković

2007

Advances in Space Research

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High altitude meteors become luminous at altitudes above $130 km, where the standard ablation theory of meteor light production is not applicable. The physical mechanism responsible for their glow has not been known. We present a model that explains their existence, morphology and lightcurves. The model is based on particles ejected from the meteoroid surface through the sputtering process. The kinetic energy of such a sputtered particle is typically more than 1000 times larger than the energy of particles in the surrounding atmosphere. Thus, the sputtered particle creates a cascade of collisions in the atmosphere during thermalization. We show analytically that this process is capable of producing enough light for detection. We also explain the observed relationship between the beginning height of high altitude meteors and their maximum brightness. In addition, meteors are modeled with a Monte Carlo code developed specifically for this phenomenon. Theoretical images reproduce the observed shapes and sizes of high altitude meteors. Their exact shape depends on the relative angle between the meteor path and observerÕs line of sight.

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“…Similar results also were obtained for the 1999 Leonid shower. Brown et al (2002a) found that the beginning height of the meteors has a Gaussian distribution with an average height of 123.3 km and width of 7.8 km. Despite the fact that some meteors with beginning heights above 140 km were observed, the relative lack of higher beginning heights (above 160 km) was again experienced.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The beginning heights and light curves of high-altitude meteors

Koten

Spurný

Borovička

et al. 2006

Meteoritics &Amp; Planetary Science

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The beginning heights and light curves of high-altitude meteorsConversely, meteors with beginning heights above 160 km are very rare even among Leonids. From the meteor light curves, we are able to distinguish two different processes that govern radiation of the meteors at different altitudes. Light curves vary greatly above 130 km and exhibit sudden changes in meteor brightness. Sputtering from the meteoroid surface is the dominating process during this phase of the meteor luminous trajectory. Around 130 km, the process switches to ablation and the light curves become similar to the light curves of standard meteors. The sputtering model was successfully applied to explain the difference in the beginning heights of high-altitude Leonid and Perseid meteors. We show also that this process in connection with high altitude fragmentation could explain the anomalously high beginning heights of several relatively faint meteors.

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Multi-station electro-optical observations of the 1999 Leonid meteor storm

Cited by 33 publications

References 10 publications

New observations of sprites from the space shuttle

New observations of sprites from the space shuttle

Thermalization of sputtered particles as the source of diffuse radiation from high altitude meteors

The beginning heights and light curves of high-altitude meteors

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