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Re: (meteorobs) Telescopic observation of meteor trails
Yes Nick, I've reported the same gap between head and trail in
telescopic observations and reported it to Meteorobs several months ago.
You must have been "off-air" at the time, as I don't remember anyone
corroborating it.
Whereas the shock wave will continue outwards, the wake/train is a result
of disrupted atoms in the immediate vicinity of the trail. After the
initial encounter with the incoming particles, the disrubted atoms and
molecules will soon be slowed in collisions with the surrounding air. The
average distance they travel before hitting other atoms and molecules (the
mean free path) is, I believe, the main determinant of how rapidly the
train will expand after creation. I think the initial diameter is a
direct measure of the region of atmosphere that has been disrupted.
Robert H. McNaught
rmn@aaocbn.aaodot gov.au
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