[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
(meteorobs) Request for observations of transverse moving objects in Leonid meteors
In last years (1999)Leonid meteor shower I observed an unusual visual
feature on a very few Leonid meteors. These were objects that appeared to
shoot out at angle of around 30 to 40 degrees from the line of the meteor.
They were just like small orangish sparks moving outward for about 1 degree
from near the end of the line of flight of not particularily bright meteors.
Another observer in my group also noticed similar features. I would have
just noted these as one of those meteor curiosities except that Prof. R.L.
Hawkes from the University of Western Ontario contacted me via list member
Peter Gural and asked if he could quote my observations as supporting
evidence for some image intensified video observations made in the 1998 NASA
Leonid Multi-Instrument Aircraft Campaign. These showed evidence of
transverse spreading in the image of a Leonid meteor. These results were
reported in a paper in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
313. L9-L13 (2000) A.G.LeBlanc et al. Evidence for transverse spread in
Leonid meteors. (et al. is 8 other co authors)
Abstract:- "We report here evidence for transverse spread of the light
producing region in bright Leonid meteors. One Leonid meteor had an apparent
spread in in the light production region of about 600metre perpendicular to
the flight path for the meteor, that transverse spread persisting for at
least 0.3 seconds. We have also detected short-duration jet-like features
emanating from a bright Leonid meteor recorded in 1998. These jet like
features have maximum spatial dimensions up to 1.9 km. While we cannot
definitively rule out instrumental artifacts as a cause of the jet like
features, they may be evidence of motion contributing to the observed
spatial spread in the light production region."
It would be interesting if anyone observing this years Leonids could see if
they can observe similar features.
Good luck with the weather.
Nick
Nick Martin, Bonnyton House, By Ayr, Ayrshire KA6 7EW ,Scotland, UK.
Latitude 55 24'56" Longitude 4 26' 00".
To UNSUBSCRIBE from the 'meteorobs' email list, use the Web form at:
http://www.tiacdot net/users/lewkaren/meteorobs/subscribe.html
Follow-Ups: