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(meteorobs) Sporadics and wavelets (another awkward question)




Almost a year ago, I had an email chat with Dr. Meisel of AMS and Mark Davis of 
NAMN/ALPO/IMO. The topic was seasonal and other cyclic variations in sporadic 
(non-shower) meteor rates, and possible sources of these variations. At the 
time, Dr. Meisel indicated his opinion that the only way to really research 
this question was to apply Fourier and wavelet analysis techniques to a 
sufficiently large sampling of sporadic observations.

[Dr. Meisel's suggestion basically means using mathematical techniques to look 
for all the component "signals" in the frequency graph of sporadic rates - and 
presumably sporadic magnitude distributions as well.]

I recently reread this email, and thought about the correspondence that I've 
seen since then in meteorobs and WGN about sporadics. So my question is: is Dr. 
Meisel's way of viewing sporadic variations the most valid one procedurally? If 
not, what other approaches are researchers advocating nowadays?

More importantly, if Fourier/wavelet techniques ARE a valid approach, then what 
data gathering and data gleaning techniques make for the best input to such 
analysis? Is there anything in the current IMO gathering and publishing regimes 
which would prevent IMO data from being useful for sporadic analysis like this?

Frustrated at sleeping through another clear, moonless Spring morning this AM - 
I got faked out by pre-midnight rain and clouds - so I figured I'd take refuge 
in some theory! :>  Still, I thought this was interesting stuff...

Clear skies!
Lew Gramer



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