[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: (meteorobs) Radio meteors can one tell magnitude?



>>I'm not sure how to answer this question put to me but another observer asked
if listening to radio meteors if it was possible to determine their magnitude?
Example a -1 meteor would it be louder or fainter in volume? <<
I don't know about louder or fainter in volume, but for a few years I would simultaneously visually observe while listening to radio reflections. I think about every fifth meteor seen I would hear a radio signal. Going by memory, I noted an increase in duration of the radio signal for brighter meteors. It seems that the faster meteors would also last longer. A -1 Leonid may have a radio signal lasting 2 to 5 seconds on average.  A +3 or +4 leonid might last about a quarter of a second. With the same set up, I've seen a -11 with a radio signal lasting 18 seconds and a -15 lasting 90 plus seconds. I've also seen a -6 last 40 or so seconds. Oh...about louder or fainter in volume...I do recall seeing a +3 or +4 type meteor with a fairly loud radio signal...but lasting only about quarter of a second. I personally believe a radio signal duration is based on magnitude(size of object), entry velocity, frequency, equipment sensitivity and meteor orientation between my antenna and the transmitting station.
>>A slow meteor will give a longer echo while
a fast meteor will give a short echo. <<
I may be wrong, but I tend to disagree with this view. With magnitudes being the same, there is more energy involved with a fast meteor than a slow meteor. The faster meteors will tend to produce a more stable or thicker ionized trail or column from which radio signals are reflected from. The more structured ionized trail the longer the radio signal will be if things are aligned properly.
George Zay