Radar Detection of Meteor Trails

Abstract

IN the course of ionospheric observations made during the International Polar Year 1932–33, a transient type of radio echo was observed from levels in the upper atmosphere about 100 km. above the ground. Such echoes were found to last only a second or two and were noted to be equally frequent both by day and by night. A solar origin in terms of ultra-violet radiation could thus be excluded, and it was pointed out that, possibly, the ionization trails of meteors were responsible, since Skellet had already noted major increases of abnormal E layer ionization to occur at night when meteors were observed to pass overhead.