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(meteorobs) detecting impacts
I haven't seen much discussion regarding lunar
impacts so I couldn't speculate on what equipment might work. Logically though,
more sensitivity in the infrared couldnt hurt. The documented Leonid impacts
were the first in my experience. It certainly seemed a novel idea whose
time had come.
Back in the 60's there was interest in detecting
LTP's (Lunar Transient Phenomena) - this was an attempt to detect infrared
outgassing events on the Moon triggered by volcanic activity. The results were
highly ambiguous and not much credence given to it especially after the Apollo
missions established that the moon was quite dormant with respect to having
active molten core that could cause such an event.
Statistically, impact events by smaller meteors
will of course be more numerous than more massive, energetic impacts. It was for
this reason that I invited discussion by those who could apply quantitative
values to the energies and their detectability threshholds by equipment
available to amateurs.
Would objects on the order of 1 mm be detectable?
Would the radiant energy be released several cms. below the surface and remain
undetectable? Where might the threshhold be and what percent of the energy would
be in the infrared and what % in the visible part of the spectrum?
Impact frequency and detectability might suggest
using a more powerful instrument observing a smaller section of
terrain.
Tom
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