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(meteorobs) Leonid MAC Status: 23 Nov 2002
Forwarded with permission of the author.
-Lew
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peter Jenniskens [mailto:peter@max.arc.nasadot gov]
> Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2002 10:15 PM
> To: leonids@nis.lanldot gov; meteorobs@jovian.com; imo-news@imodot net;
> peter@max.arc.nasadot gov
> Subject: [IMO-News] (unknown)
>
>
> LEONID MULTI-INSTRUMENT AIRCRAFT CAMPAIGN
>
> Status of project as of Nov 23, 2002
> ======================================
>
> 1. 2002 LEONID MAC MISSION BEST YET
>
> The NASA and USAF sponsored 2002 Leonid MAC mission was a
> great success.
> Both aircraft were above clouds and under perfect conditions
> for viewing
> both of the 2002 Leonid storms enroute from Torrejon, Spain, to Offutt
> AFB near Omaha, Nebraska. All instruments worked as expected and
> aurora, moon, and meteors made the view scenic and truely spectacular
> at times. The Leonid meteor storms occurred much as predicted.
> European observers saw the peak at 04:09 UT (ZHR = 2,300/hr - with the
> absolute scale still rather uncertain), while observers in the
> America's witnessed a storm peaking at 10:50 UT (ZHR =
> 2,600/hr). Both
> peaks were narrow, with a full-width-at-half-maximum of only 0.52 and
> 0.50 hours, respectively. Both peaks were also rich in faint
> meteors. As
> a result, the near-full Moon and bad weather at prime
> observing sites made
> visual observations from the ground difficult. Preliminary
> results from
> 1-minute counts gathered by Morris Jones and seven other
> members of the
> flux measurement team on board NASA's DC-8 Airborne
> Laboratory during the
> 2002 Leonid MAC mission show a very precise flux profile. Preliminary
> results (with a 3-point average and given in 2-minute intervals) are
> presented in the Table below.
>
> These 2002 Leonid storm observations provide important new
> data for dust
> trail models. The dynamic models by Lyytinen et al. and Vaubaillon
> were only minutes off from the observed peak time. The fact
> that the flux
> profiles are narrow is very significant, because it
> demonstrates that the
> dust trails do not widen over time, as in the models by
> Lyytinen et al.
> (radiation pressure) and those by Asher & McNaught and Vaubaillon
> (a.o., from dynamic forces). In fact, the measured width is only
> slightly narrower than predicted by Jenniskens, who had 0.64 and 0.60
> hrs, respectively. In addition, the strong showing in Europe confirms
> the small trail shifts noticed earlier. The most important result
> may have been the high abundance of faint meteors. While predicted in
> some models, the distribution of meteoroid sizes in the
> trails is still
> poorly understood, and the new observations will help put constraints
> on this variable.
>
> A high background of activity persisted between the two storm peaks.
> That background may reflect the 1833 dust trail encounter (Lyytinen's
> prediction put the encounter time at 06:36 UT), or it could be a
> manifestation of the Leonid Filament.
>
> Graphs of the results have been posted at our website:
> http://leonid.arc.nasadot gov
> Results of other scientific efforts will be posted as they become
> available.
>
> The flux measurement team consisted of Morris Jones, Chris Crawford,
> Jane Houston-Jones, Bob Lunsford, David Holman, Peter Gural, David
> Nugent, and Ruediger Jehn, the latter representing ESA. The data
> were analyzed by Peter Jenniskens, Morris Jones, David Holman,
> Chris Crawford, and Peter Gural. A further improvement of results
> is expected when the sky limiting magnitude and magnitude
> size distribution have been studied in more detail, and when also
> the FISTA video tapes (operated by Mike Koop) have been
> examined. Also,
> Jim Richardson and a team of observers gathered additional
> data from a
> ground site at Mount Lemmon Observatory in Tucson, Arizona.
>
> We thank the aircraft operators at NASA Dryden Flight Research
> Center, notably mission managers Bob Curry and Chris Jennison,
> and at the USAF 418th Flight Test Squadron, especially mission
> managers Don Bustillos and Jon Haser for their heroic efforts to
> make the 2002 Leonid MAC mission possible. Some 300 people took
> responsibility for bringing various aspects of the campaign together.
> Our host at Torrejon in Spain was Juan Perez-Mercader, the director
> of the Center for Astrobiology (CAB). Capt. Rafael Gomez-Blanco made
> the logistic arrangements. The mission was sponsored by NASA's
> Astrobiology Program (Mike Meyer), NASA's Planetary Astronomy program
> (John Hillman), and by NASA Ames Research Center (Greg Schmidt).
> Support was also received from the Center for Astrobiology and the
> European Space Agency. The participation of individual research teams
> was made possible by local institutes and organizations. The mission
> was executed as part of the Aerospace MOIE program (Ray Russell).
> I also thank Hal Roey, Brenda Simmons, Debbie Kolyer, Sue Lehr,
> Edna deVore, and Chris Chyba of the SETI Institute for their efforts
> on behalf of this final Leonid Multi-Instrument Aircraft Campaign.
>
>
> -Peter Jenniskens
>
>
> ----------------------------------------
> Time(hr) Sol long ZHR +/-
> 02 Nov 19 (J2000) (/hr) (/hr)
> ----------------------------------------
> 2.767 236.5580 284 99
> 2.800 236.5594 253 108
> 2.833 236.5607 292 56
> 2.867 236.5621 336 52
> 2.900 236.5636 257 69
> 2.933 236.5650 332 67
> 2.967 236.5664 304 58
> 3.000 236.5677 316 49
> 3.033 236.5692 324 52
> 3.067 236.5706 257 47
> 3.100 236.5720 345 48
> 3.133 236.5733 302 43
> 3.167 236.5748 275 36
> 3.200 236.5762 332 45
> 3.233 236.5776 293 49
> 3.350 236.5825 295 63
> 3.383 236.5839 359 82
> 3.417 236.5853 514 66
> 3.450 236.5867 385 56
> 3.483 236.5881 444 56
> 3.517 236.5895 511 58
> 3.550 236.5909 501 51
> 3.583 236.5923 419 51
> 3.617 236.5937 566 61
> 3.650 236.5951 779 82
> 3.683 236.5965 655 68
> 3.717 236.5979 718 90
> 3.750 236.5993 1000 101
> 3.783 236.6007 797 91
> 3.817 236.6021 970 74
> 3.850 236.6035 1379 94
> 3.883 236.6049 1302 107
> 3.917 236.6063 1331 95
> 3.950 236.6077 1481 102
> 3.983 236.6091 1790 121
> 4.017 236.6105 1727 103
> 4.050 236.6119 1985 111
> 4.083 236.6133 2350 118
> 4.117 236.6147 2819 121
> 4.150 236.6161 2499 134
> 4.183 236.6175 2520 148
> 4.217 236.6189 2539 120
> 4.250 236.6203 1728 109
> 4.283 236.6217 1486 104
> 4.317 236.6231 1613 97
> 4.350 236.6245 1562 99
> 4.383 236.6259 1467 97
> 4.417 236.6273 1471 91
> 4.450 236.6287 1193 83
> 4.483 236.6301 941 81
> 4.517 236.6315 899 73
> 4.550 236.6329 933 72
> 4.583 236.6343 1139 88
> 4.617 236.6357 859 73
> 4.650 236.6371 818 95
> 4.683 236.6385 1009 111
> 4.717 236.6399 821 111
> 4.750 236.6413 663 80
> 4.783 236.6427 909 123
> 4.817 236.6441 645 74
> 4.850 236.6455 495 80
> 4.883 236.6469 535 102
> 4.917 236.6483 417 80
> 4.950 236.6497 365 83
> 4.983 236.6511 546 110
> 5.017 236.6525 355 76
> 5.050 236.6539 496 73
> 5.083 236.6553 533 76
> 5.117 236.6567 345 74
> 5.150 236.6581 309 93
> 5.183 236.6595 539 108
> 5.217 236.6609 293 72
> 5.250 236.6623 462 163
> 5.283 236.6637 261 92
> 5.317 236.6651 456 161
> 5.350 236.6665 520 184
> 5.383 236.6679 324 115
> 5.417 236.6693 291 103
> 5.600 236.6770 169 42
> 5.633 236.6784 168 42
> 5.667 236.6798 318 79
> 5.700 236.6812 280 70
> 5.917 236.6903 175 33
> 5.950 236.6917 200 33
> 5.983 236.6931 217 38
> 6.017 236.6945 297 38
> 6.050 236.6959 273 36
> 6.083 236.6973 231 37
> 6.117 236.6987 294 40
> 6.150 236.7001 251 40
> 6.183 236.7015 175 40
> 6.217 236.7029 302 43
> 6.250 236.7043 227 31
> 6.283 236.7057 224 33
> 6.317 236.7071 265 39
> 6.350 236.7085 219 38
> 6.383 236.7099 260 39
> 6.417 236.7113 184 37
> 6.450 236.7127 161 49
> 6.483 236.7141 217 44
> 6.517 236.7155 145 29
> 6.550 236.7169 139 59
> 6.583 236.7183 180 55
> 6.617 236.7197 280 51
> 6.650 236.7211 204 41
> 6.683 236.7225 164 35
> 6.717 236.7239 155 42
> 6.750 236.7253 307 62
> 6.783 236.7267 299 68
> 6.817 236.7281 281 85
> 6.850 236.7295 175 75
> 6.883 236.7309 315 72
> 6.917 236.7323 224 43
> 6.950 236.7337 219 34
> 6.983 236.7351 157 29
> 7.017 236.7365 162 37
> 7.050 236.7379 147 24
> 7.083 236.7393 123 28
> 7.200 236.7442 206 52
> 7.233 236.7457 261 65
> 7.267 236.7471 344 86
> 7.300 236.7484 278 70
> 7.333 236.7498 231 58
> 7.367 236.7513 94 24
> 7.400 236.7527 131 33
> 7.433 236.7541 159 48
> 7.467 236.7554 136 41
> 7.500 236.7569 221 47
> 7.533 236.7583 248 40
> 7.567 236.7597 188 43
> 7.600 236.7611 195 45
> 7.633 236.7625 216 58
> 7.667 236.7639 185 56
> 7.700 236.7653 140 38
> 7.733 236.7667 156 39
> 7.767 236.7681 117 29
> 7.800 236.7695 95 24
> 7.833 236.7709 100 25
> 7.867 236.7723 111 28
> 7.900 236.7737 89 22
> 7.933 236.7751 155 39
> 7.967 236.7765 155 39
> 8.000 236.7779 144 39
> 8.033 236.7793 158 36
> 8.067 236.7807 214 34
> 8.100 236.7821 278 48
> 8.133 236.7835 245 38
> 8.167 236.7849 196 36
> 8.200 236.7863 147 24
> 8.233 236.7877 178 41
> 8.267 236.7891 154 28
> 8.300 236.7905 142 30
> 8.333 236.7919 196 30
> 8.367 236.7933 136 21
> 8.400 236.7947 212 33
> 8.433 236.7961 199 35
> 8.467 236.7975 283 40
> 8.500 236.7989 227 43
> 8.533 236.8003 188 31
> 8.567 236.8017 226 41
> 8.600 236.8031 194 52
> 8.633 236.8045 212 48
> 8.667 236.8059 286 41
> 8.700 236.8073 147 31
> 8.733 236.8087 171 34
> 8.767 236.8101 86 23
> 8.800 236.8115 180 33
> 8.833 236.8129 219 44
> 8.867 236.8143 187 43
> 8.900 236.8157 234 43
> 8.933 236.8171 167 45
> 8.967 236.8185 206 38
> 9.000 236.8199 146 37
> 9.033 236.8213 335 44
> 9.067 236.8227 248 36
> 9.100 236.8241 104 26
> 9.133 236.8255 96 24
> 9.167 236.8269 297 74
> 9.200 236.8283 250 62
> 9.233 236.8297 176 44
> 9.267 236.8311 103 26
> 9.300 236.8325 145 36
> 9.333 236.8339 116 29
> 9.367 236.8353 217 38
> 9.400 236.8367 172 27
> 9.433 236.8381 121 23
> 9.467 236.8395 352 49
> 9.500 236.8409 284 54
> 9.533 236.8423 156 42
> 9.567 236.8437 175 32
> 9.600 236.8451 250 36
> 9.633 236.8465 238 40
> 9.667 236.8479 261 33
> 9.700 236.8493 282 36
> 9.733 236.8507 328 39
> 9.767 236.8521 203 31
> 9.800 236.8535 285 39
> 9.833 236.8549 354 52
> 9.867 236.8563 275 33
> 9.900 236.8577 297 39
> 9.933 236.8591 335 41
> 9.967 236.8605 397 38
> 10.000 236.8619 395 39
> 10.033 236.8633 314 38
> 10.067 236.8647 322 31
> 10.100 236.8661 271 34
> 10.133 236.8675 376 34
> 10.167 236.8689 438 42
> 10.200 236.8703 434 41
> 10.233 236.8717 507 41
> 10.267 236.8731 559 53
> 10.300 236.8745 625 52
> 10.333 236.8759 652 53
> 10.367 236.8773 680 47
> 10.400 236.8787 732 53
> 10.433 236.8801 805 59
> 10.467 236.8815 1022 68
> 10.500 236.8829 993 61
> 10.533 236.8843 1195 69
> 10.567 236.8857 1393 74
> 10.600 236.8871 1398 83
> 10.633 236.8885 1588 77
> 10.667 236.8899 1945 103
> 10.700 236.8913 2154 99
> 10.733 236.8927 2255 114
> 10.767 236.8941 2817 124
> 10.800 236.8955 2410 110
> 10.833 236.8969 2820 111
> 10.867 236.8983 2702 151
> 10.900 236.8997 2667 106
> 10.933 236.9011 2329 95
> 10.967 236.9025 2298 97
> 11.000 236.9039 1954 93
> 11.033 236.9053 1447 101
> 11.067 236.9067 1360 105
> 11.100 236.9081 1270 112
> 11.133 236.9095 1111 99
> 11.167 236.9109 1051 91
> 11.200 236.9123 726 79
> 11.233 236.9137 667 70
> 11.267 236.9151 803 83
> 11.300 236.9165 705 85
> 11.333 236.9179 763 86
> 11.367 236.9193 908 87
> 11.400 236.9207 625 69
> 11.433 236.9221 595 90
> 11.467 236.9235 531 56
> 11.500 236.9249 462 62
> 11.533 236.9263 612 60
> 11.567 236.9277 510 71
> 11.600 236.9292 543 64
> 11.633 236.9305 470 62
> 11.667 236.9319 426 56
> 11.700 236.9333 542 67
> 11.733 236.9348 331 38
> 11.767 236.9362 389 57
> 11.800 236.9375 324 46
> 11.833 236.9389 271 38
> 11.867 236.9404 339 50
> 11.900 236.9418 260 47
> 11.933 236.9432 221 40
> 11.967 236.9445 240 39
> 12.000 236.9460 221 77
> 12.017 236.9467 278 51
> 12.050 236.9481 249 50
> ----------------------------------------
>
>
> ..............................................................
>
> Peter Jenniskens
>
> The SETI Institute e-mail: pjenniskens@mail.arc.nasadot gov
> 2035 Landings Drive NASA tel: (650) 604-3086
> Mountain View, CA 94043 fax: (650) 604-1088
>
> http://leonid.arc.nasadot gov
> http://aio.arc.nasadot gov/~leonid/
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