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(meteorobs) Automated video detection of meteors



Hi all;

In answer to Terry's inquiry about the use of computers to analyze "live"
video feeds from CCD cameras for meteor detection there are two such
development projects in existance today.  The first that Malcolm refered to
is the "METREC" system developed by Sirko Molau which you can find more on
the IMO website http://www.imodot net/video/

The other system developed by myself called MeteorScan currently scans
videotapes or live video data for meteor events and records the image
sequence to disk.  In addition if the field of view is calibrated
beforehand, the software can associate the meteors to a known shower from
the IMO working list.  The software only makes approximate estimates for
speed, position, direction as it is trying to operate in real-time on a PC. 

The system was taken last November to Austrailia and Mongolia for the 1998
Leonids to report on flux rates in real-time to the US Air Force.  It
detected 80% of the Leonids presented to the software and correctly
associated 3/4 of those. I am currently working on enhancing the software to
improve the angle of arrival estimation... the most critical factor in
improving detection probabilities and radiant association for the software.
I just received word that the Canadian/USAF team will again be traveling for
the 1999 Leonids and plan to have at least four sites set up with the
MeteorScan automated detection software.  Last I heard we would be stationed
in the Negev desert, Israel; Canary Islands, Spain; The Florida Keys, US;
possibly Hawaii as well.  Final plans are TBD.

Pete Gural
peter.s.gural@cpmx.saic.com
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