Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Latitudinal difference in meteor trail ionization heights and identification of meteor showers

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Astrophysics and Space Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The ionization heights of meteor trails are strongly dependent on local atmospheric conditions in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT)-region. We present here latitudinal difference in ionization heights of meteor trails at two distinct latitudes, Thumba (8.5∘N, 77∘E), India and Eureka (80∘N, 85.8∘W), Canada. There is a large seasonal variation in meteor count at high latitude as compared to low latitude. Similarly, there is a large variation in meteor trail ionization heights at high latitudes, but not at low latitudes. However, it noticed that the trail ionisation heights at low latitude are found to be about 2 km higher. The latitudinal differences are probably related to changes in electron line densities at local MLT-regions. The identification of meteoroid streams in the sporadic background is still a noteworthy problem to pursue. By considering ionisation heights of meteor trails as a simple but robust metric, we identified shower meteors from the background sporadic activity, as the ionization heights of shower meteors are different from the sporadic meteors. We apply this shower detection technique on long-term data set at two different latitudes and compared with existing shower calendars. By using the median height of meteor trails and their corresponding upper and lower quartiles (Uq and Lq) as a metric, we unambiguously identified all northern hemisphere showers with a zenithal hourly rate larger than 20, which are in good agreement with the known showers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bronshten, V.A.: Physics of Meteor Flight in the Atmosphere. Reidel, Dordrecht (1983)

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, P., Weryk, R., Wong, D., Jones, J.: A meteoroid stream survey using the Canadian Meteor Orbit Radar: I. Methodology and radiant catalogue. Icarus 195(1), 317–339 (2008)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ceplecha, Z., Borovicka, J., Elford, W.G., Revelle, D.O., Hawkes, R.L., Porubcan, V., Simek, M.: Meteor phenomena and bodies. Space Sci. Rev. 84, 327–471 (1998)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Cziczo, D.J., Thomson, D.S., Murphy, D.M.: Ablation, flux, and atmospheric implications of meteors inferred from stratospheric aerosol. Science 291, 1772–1775 (2001)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Dyrud, D., Oppenheim, L.M., Vom Endt, A.: The anomalous diffusion of meteor trails. Geophys. Res. Lett. 28(14), 2775–2778 (2001)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Hall, C.M., Dyrland, M.E., Tsutsumi, M., Mulligan, F.J.: Temperature trends at 90 km over Svalbard, Norway (78∘N l6∘E), seen in one decade of meteor radar observations. J. Geophys. Res. 117, D08104 (2012)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Herlofson, N.: The theory of meteor ionization. Rep. Prog. Phys. 11, 444–454 (1947)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hocking, W.K.: Radar meteor decay rate variability and atmospheric consequences. Ann. Geophys. 22, 3805–3814 (2004)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Hocking, W.K., Fuller, B., Vandepeer, B.: Real-time determination of meteor-related parameters utilizing modern digital technology. J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phys. 63, 155–169 (2001)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Jacchia, L.G., Kopal, Z., Millman, P.M.: A photographic study of the Draconid meteor shower of 1946. Astron. Phys. J. 111, 104–133 (1950)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Jenniskens, P.: Meteor Showers and Parent Comets. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenniskens, P.: Meteor showers in review. Planet. Space Sci. 143, 116–124 (2017)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, J., Webster, A.R., Hocking, W.K.: An improved interferometer design for use with meteor radars. Radio Sci. 33(1), 55–66 (1998)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Jopek, T.J., Kanuchova, Z.: Current status of the IAU MDC Meteor Showers Database. In: Jopek, T.J., Rietmeijer, F.J.M., Watanabe, J., Williams, I.P. (eds.) Meteoroids 2013. Proceedings of the Astronomical Conference Held at A.M. University, Poznan, Poland, Aug. 26–30, 2013 pp. 353–364. A.M. University, Poznan (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, M.C.: The Earth’s Ionosphere: Plasma Physics and Electrodynamics. Elsevier, New York (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, J.H., Kim, Y.H., Lee, C.S., Jee, G.: Seasonal variation of meteor decay times observed at King Sejong station (62.22∘S, 58.78∘W). Antarctica. J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phys. 72, 883–889 (2010)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, J.H., Kim, Y.H., Jee, G., Lee, C.S.: Mesospheric temperature estimation from meteor decay times of weak and strong meteor trails. J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phys. 89, 18–26 (2012)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Koten, P., Spurn, P., Borovika, J., Stork, R.: Extreme beginning heights for non-Leonid meteors. In: Proceedings, Meteoroids 2001 Conference, pp. 119–122 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  • Koten, P., Spurn, P., Borovicka, J., Evans, S., Elliott, A., Betlem, H., Stork, R., Jobse, K.: The beginning heights and light curves of high-altitude meteors. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 41(9), 1305–1320 (2006)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Kozlovsky, A., Lester, M.: On the VHF radar echoes in the region of midnight aurora: signs of ground echoes modulated by the ionosphere. J. Geophys. Res. Space Phys. 120, 2099–2109 (2015)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, K.K., Ramkumar, G., Shelbi, S.T.: Initial results from SKiYMET meteor radar at Thumba (8.5∘N, 77∘E): 1. Comparison of wind measurements with MF spaced antenna radar system. Radio Sci. 42, RS6008 (2007)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Love, S.G., Brownlee, D.E.: Heating and thermal transformation of micromete- oroids entering the Earth’s atmosphere. Icarus 89, 26–43 (1991)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lovell, A.C.B.: Meteor Astronomy, pp. 21–30. University Press, Oxford (1954)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lukianova, R., Kozlovsky, A., Lester, M.: Recognition of meteor showers from the heights of ionization trails. J. Geophys. Res. Space Phys. 123, 7067–7076 (2018)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Manning, L.A., Villard, O.G. Jr., Peterson, A.M.: The length of ionized meteor trails. Am. Geophys. Union 34(1), 16–21 (1953)

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray, I.S., Hawkes, R.L., Jenniskens, P.: Airborne intensified charge-couple device observations of the 1998 Leonid shower. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 34, 949–958 (1999)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Oppenheim, M.M., Dimant, Y.S.: First 3-D simulations of meteor plasma dynamics and turbulence. Geophys. Res. Lett. 42, 681–687 (2015)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Picone, J., Hedin, A., Drob, D., Aikin, A.: NRLMSISE-00 empirical model of the atmosphere: statistical comparisons and scientific issues. J. Geophys. Res. 107(A12), 1468 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  • Plane, J.M.: Atmospheric chemistry of meteoric metals. Chem. Rev. 103, 4963–4984 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • Plane, J.M.: Cosmic dust in the Earth’s atmosphere. Chem. Soc. Rev. 41, 6507–6518 (2012)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Plane, J.M., Feng, W., Dawkins, E.C.: The mesosphere and metals: chemistry and changes. Chem. Rev. 115, 4497–4541 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  • Premkumar, B., Chenna Reddy, K., Yellaiah, G., Kishore Kumar, K.: Seasonal variations in vertical distribution of meteor decay time as observed from meteor radars at 8.5∘N and 80∘N. Adv. Space Res. 63, 1661–1669 (2019)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Rudawska, R., Matlovic, P., Toth, J., Kornos, L.: Independent identification of meteor showers in EDMOND database. Planet. Space Sci. 118, 38 (2015)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Sekhar, A., Asher, D.J.: Meteor showers on Earth from sungrazing comets. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 433, L84 (2013)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Singer, W., von Zahn, U., Weis, J.: Diurnal and annual variations of meteor rates at the arctic circle. Atmos. Chem. Phys. 4, 1355–1363 (2004)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Stober, G., Matthias, V., Brown, P., Chau, J.L.: Neutral density variation from specular meteor echo observations spanning one solar cycle. Geophys. Res. Lett. 41, 6919–6925 (2014)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Szasz, C., Kero, J., Pellinen-Wannberg, A., Mathews, J.D., Mitchell, N.J., Singer, W.: Latitudinal variations of diurnal meteor rates. Earth Moon Planets 95, 101–107 (2005)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Vinkovic, D.: Thermalization of sputtered particles as the source of diffuse radiation from high altitude meteors. Adv. Space Res. 39, 574–582 (2007)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ye, Q., Brown, P.G., Campbell-Brown, M.D., Weryk, R.J.: Radar observations of the 2011 October Draconid outburst. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 436(1), 675–689 (2013)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Yi, W., Reid, I.M., Xue, X., Murphy, D.J., Hall, C.M., Tsutsumi, M.: High- and middle-latitude neutral mesospheric density response to geomagnetic storms. Geophys. Res. Lett. 45, 436–444 (2018)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Younger, P., Astin, I., Sandford, D., Mitchell, N.: The sporadic radiant and distribution of meteors in the atmosphere as observed by VHF radar at Arctic, Antarctic and equatorial latitudes. Ann. Geophys. 27, 2831–2841 (2009)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Younger, J.P., Reid, I.M., Vincent, R.A., Murphy, D.J.: A method for estimating the height of a mesospheric density level using meteor radar. Geophys. Res. Lett. 42, 6106–6111 (2015)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thankful to Dr. Geetha Ramkumar, SPL, VSSC, India and CANDAC team, Canada for data support. The Eureka meteor radar is part of the Canadian Network of the Detection of Atmospheric Change (CANDAC) project.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Astronomy, Osmania University, Hyderabad, 500007, India

    K. Chenna Reddy, B. Premkumar & G. Yellaiah

Authors
  1. K. Chenna Reddy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B. Premkumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. G. Yellaiah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chenna Reddy, K., Premkumar, B. & Yellaiah, G. Latitudinal difference in meteor trail ionization heights and identification of meteor showers. Astrophys Space Sci 364, 203 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10509-019-3687-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10509-019-3687-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation