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(meteorobs) "Sensing" meteors & VLF radio
August 9, 1996
Greetings.
I am setting up an experiment which attempts to receive VLF (very low
frequency) radio waves from meteors during the Perseids. This experiment
may have some bearing on whether or not a meteor can be "heard"
simultaneously with its being seen and I know there is a long standing
debate on this subject.
Has anybody tried or know anything about this sort of VLF experiment?
(Please note that this is not the forward scatter radio method of reception
in this case.) The only info I have on the subject is a March 1992 Sky and
Telescope article, page 329, "Radio Waves From A Meteor?", written by
George Drobnock.
I tried this experiment once before in July 1995 while observing the alpha
Capricornids up in the mountains around Los Alamos, New Mexico. That
experiment was thwarted due to the unexpected irritation of bats by the VLF
receiver itself. The bats did *not* like something being emitted by the
radio and made aggressive dives toward me and my observing partner whenever
the radio was switched on.
Any advice or references appreciated.
Regards,
Tom Ashcraft
72632.1427@compuservedot com
Radio Fireball Observatory
35^ 41' 08" N 105^ 56' 43" W
New Mexico