Re: Variation in sporadic rates

To: "INTERNET:meteorobs@latradedot com" <meteorobs@latradedot com>
Subject: Re: Variation in sporadic rates
From: Thomas Ashcraft <72632.1427@compuservedot com>
Date: Tue, 21 May 1996 10:25:07 -0400


Regarding variation in sporadic rates:


This is my first couple of years of radio meteor observing so I am
concentrating on learning the method and noting patterns. But I do have a
24 hour a day strip chart record for the past 8 months and it is evident
that radio meteor activity drops off significantly after the Quadrantids
until the Lyrids. Things are really picking up from the Lyrids onward.  
The Eta Aquarids were very radio evident in early May and now there are
some daytime streams.  Whether the current radio sporadic rate is higher or
different than normal *underneath* these overlapping cometary streams is
unknown to me.

Regarding radio detection of radiants: The forward scatter method commonly
used by amateurs is pretty broad beamed. You are blind to an exact radiant
point but you can observe a general radiant direction as a shower rises
above the horizon and into optimum observing range.  Radar is acute but I
don't have experience with it.

Also, even though the intent of this list is dedicated to "visual" meteor
astronomy I would hope from the onset that visual observers and radio
observers work synergistically. 

Tom Ashcraft