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(meteorobs) IMO Leonid Reporting Hints



=================================
INTERNATIONAL METEOR ORGANIZATION
=================================

  R E P O R T I N G   H I N T S

     L E O N I D S   2 0 0 1

Another extra-ordinary Leonid meteor shower is expected for November 18
this year. We would like to encourage all meteor observers to contribute
to the global picture of the shower. For visual observers, we would
like to give some recommendations here to optimize the scientific output
of your data.

The enormous inflow of reports requires a compilation of your observing
periods in a format given at 

   www.imodot net/visual/imoform.html  or similar.

Because of the large number of meteors, the observing periods will be
very short. You will have to extend the observing form for more periods
(there is no upper limit). Observers sending their data in full format
to the 'meteorobs' mailing list are encouraged to continue with this
style. Nevertheless, try to report very short periods irregardless of
how unhandy the table of periods looks then.

Please note that table columns may align differently on different com-
puters. Make your tables (especially the magnitude distribution) unam-
biguous by typing '0' for empty meteor numbers. For example,

   -6  -5  -4  -3  -2  -1   0   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   tot
   ------------------------------------------------------------
    0   0   0   1   0   0   1   3   2   4  10   6   1   0    28  

If you report an observation from America on November 17/18 or from
Asia on November 18/19, give Leonid magnitude distributions for each
observing period. The number of reports will be large enough to obtain
results about the small-scale structure of the stream, even if your
distributions look insignificant. For example,

   Shower, UT    -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  tot
   ------------------------------------------------------------
   LEO 0950-0951  0  0  0  1  0  0  1  0  2  2  6  3  0  0   15  
   LEO 0951-0952  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  1  3  1  1  0    8
   LEO 0952-0953  0  0  0  0  0  0  2  1  1  4  2  1  0  0   11
   ...
   SPO 0837-1112  0  0  0  0  1  0  0  2  5  5 10  2  1  0   26

Fluctuations in totals and numbers per magnitude like these are normal.


SHORT FACTS FOR THE LEONIDS
---------------------------

- Activity greater than 20 meteors per minute:
  Report half-minute periods, distinction LEO/non-LEO not necessary.

- Activity 1-20 meteors per minute:
  Report one-minute periods, distinction LEO/non-LEO if possible but 
  not essential.

- Report meteor magnitudes as long as possible.

- As rates increase, drop shower information first, then magnitudes.

- For T_eff, give three decimals for periods with 1-6 minutes duration, 
  give four decimals for periods shorter than one minute.


GE
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