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The solar cycle effect on the atmosphere as a scintillator for meteor observations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2010

Asta Pellinen-Wannberg ,
Edmond Murad ,
Noah Brosch ,
Ingemar Häggström  and
Timur Khayrov
Asta Pellinen-Wannberg
Affiliation:
Umeå University and Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Box 812, SE-98128 Kiruna, Sweden email: [email protected]
Edmond Murad
Affiliation:
Retired AFRL, 20 Kenrick Terrace, Newton, MA 02458USA email: [email protected]
Noah Brosch
Affiliation:
The Wise Observatory and Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel email: [email protected]
Ingemar Häggström
Affiliation:
EISCAT Headquarters, Box 812, SE-98128 Kiruna, Sweden email: [email protected]
Timur Khayrov
Affiliation:
Luleå University of Technology and Julius Maximilians Universität Würzburg, Box 812, SE-98128 Kiruna, Sweden email: [email protected]
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Abstract

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We discuss using high solar cycle atmospheric conditions as sensors for observing meteors and their properties. High altitude meteor trails (HAMTs) have sometimes been observed with HPLA (High Power Large Aperture) radars. At other times they are not seen. In the absence of systematic studies on this topic, we surmise that the reason might be differing atmospheric conditions during the observations. At EISCAT HAMTs were observed in 1990 and 1991. Very high meteor trails were observed with Israeli L-band radars in 1998, 1999 and 2001. Through the Leonid activity, around the latest perihelion passage of comet Tempel-Tuttle, optical meteors as high as 200 km were reported. This was partly due to new and better observing methods. However, all the reported periods of high altitude meteors seem to correlate with solar cycle maximum. The enhanced atmospheric and ionospheric densities extend the meteoroid interaction range with the atmosphere along its path, offering a better possibility to distinguish differential ablation of the various meteoric constituents. This should be studied during the next solar maximum, due within a few years.

Keywords

Sun: activitysolar-terrestrial relationsatmospheric effectsmeteorsmeteoroids
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 5 , Symposium S263: Icy Bodies of the Solar System , August 2009 , pp. 249 - 252
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2010

References

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