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At least 415 records · Page 23

Artificial meteor ablation studies - Iron oxides.

Artificial meteor ablation was performed on natural minerals composed predominantly of magnetite and hematite by using an arc-heated plasma stream of air. Analysis indicates that most of the ablated debris was composed of two or more minerals. Wustite, a metastable mineral, was found to occur as a common product. The 'magnetite' sample, which was 80% magnetite, 14% hematite, 4% apatite, and 2% quartz, yielded ablated products consisting of more than 12 different minerals. Magnetite occurred in 91% of the specimens examined, hematite in 16%, and wustite in 30%. The 'hematite' sample, which was 96% hematite and 3% quartz, yielded ablated products consisting of more than 13 different minerals. Hematite occurred in 47% of the specimens examined, magnetite in 60%, and wustite in 28%. The more volatile elements (Si, P, and Cl) were depleted by about 50%. This study has shown that artificially created ablation products from iron oxides exhibit unique properties that can be used for identification.

Blanchard, M. B.↗

Meteor research program

Statistics from synoptic year sample of 20,000 radar meteor observations using eight station radar network

Cook, A. F., II↗

Meteor research program, executive summary

A framework statement is provided of three problems together with brief comments on advances made during the course of this research. The problems discussed are: (1) generic relationships among comets, asteroids, meteorites, and meteoroids; (2) meteor physics; and (3) meteoroid hazard and the spatial distribution of meteoroid material. A summary of results is included.

Source record↗

Comet Encke: Meteor metallic ion identification by mass spectrometer

Metal ions including Na-40(+), Mg-24(+), Si-28(+), K-39(+), Ca-40(+), Sc-45(+), Cr-52(+), Fe-56(+), and Ni-58(+) were detected in the upper atmosphere during the beta Taurids meteor shower. Abundances of these ions relative to Si(+) show agreement in most instances with chondrites. A notable exception is 45(+), which is Sc(+), is 100 times more abundant than neutral scandium found in chondrites.

Goldberg, R. A.↗

Discrete Levels of Beginning Height of Meteors in Streams

Consideration is given for 26 streams of meteors classified according to Ceplecha's discrete levels of beginning height, 13 of which are associated with known comets. Comet Biela produced in the Andromedids a double-peaked distribution (Classes A and C). Apparently no known comets produce a stream of Class B. Consideration of Whipple and Stefanik's model of an icy conglomerate nucleus with radioactive heating and redistribution of ice leads to association of Ceplecha's Class C with the residue of the ice-impregnated surface of a cometary nucleus after sublimation of the ices, and of Ceplecha's Class A with the core of a cometary nucleus. Class B meteoroids are then associated with less dense cores of smaller cometary nuclei that have lost their surfaces and are too small to have been observed. It is concluded that the density of Class A meteoroids (1.2 g/cu cm) is so close to that of Type 1 carbonaceous chondrites (2 g/cu cm) as to suggest that the latter come from old cores of very large nuclei of comets, an idea originally proposed by McCrosky and Ceplecha.

Cook, A. F., II↗

The distribution of 1/a in photographic meteor orbits

The distribution of reciprocal semi-major axes in photographic meteor orbits is studied. A detailed classification of the orbits is made according to quality. The distribution of 1/a in precise orbits is multimodal with two broad maxima approximately centered on 0.05 and 0.40 (AU)/1. Minima in the distribution appear near 0.20 and 0.66 (AU)/1 corresponding to Jupiter's and Mars' position in the 1/a diagram. Considerable fine structure appears in the 1/a distribution. Resonance gaps corresponding to commensurabilities with Jupiter are detected. The gaps are similar to the well studied Kirkwood gaps in the asteroid belt.

Lindblad, B. A.↗

A working list of meteor streams

The list is restricted to meteor streams that do exist; included are six streams with activity near the threshold of detection by photography not related to any known comet and not shown to be active for as long as a decade.

Cook, A. F.↗

Artificial meteor ablation studies

Artificial meteor ablation was performed on natural minerals, composed predominately of magnetite and hematite, using an arc heated plasma stream of air. Analysis of the ablated debris indicated most was composed of two or more minerals. The more volatile elements were depleted and the relative abundance of Fe increased as a result of both volatile depletion and a reduction in its oxidation state. Hematite was converted to magnetite in the ablation zone, and quartz and apatite minerals were converted to an Fe-rich glass consisting of varying amounts of Si, P, Cl, and Ca, depending upon the accessory minerals available at the time of melting. Artificially created ablation products from iron oxides exhibited unique properties depending on the composition of the original material and the environmental conditions of formation. In addition to the accepted elemental criteria, these properties were morphologic characteristics, textural parameters, and the existence of metastable minerals.

Blanchard, M. B.↗

Collection and processing of data from a phase-coherent meteor radar

An analysis of the measurement accuracy requirement of a high resolution meteor radar for observing short period, atmospheric waves is presented, and a system which satisfies the requirements is described. A medium scale, real time computer is programmed to perform all echo recognition and coordinate measurement functions. The measurement algorithms are exercised on noisy data generated by a program which simulates the hardware system, in order to find the effects of noise on the measurement accuracies.

Backof, C. A., Jr.↗

A seismic refraction technique used for subsurface investigations at Meteor Crater, Arizona

A seismic refraction technique for interpreting the subsurface shape and velocity distribution of an anomalous surface feature such as an impact crater is described. The method requires the existence of a relatively deep refracting horizon and combines data obtained from both standard shallow refraction spreads and distant offset shots by using the deep refractor as a source of initial arrivals. Results obtained from applying the technique to Meteor crater generally agree with the known structure of the crater deduced by other investigators and provide new data on an extensive fractured zone surrounding the crater. The breccia lens is computed to extend roughly 190 m below the crater floor, about 30 m less than the value deduced from early drilling data. Rocks around the crater are fractured as distant as 900 m from the rim crest and to a depth of at least 800 m beneath the crater floor.

Ackermann, H. D.↗

The measurement of meteor winds over Atlanta /34 N, 84 W/

An all-sky, continuous wave radio meteor wind facility has been installed in Atlanta. A double sideband suppressed carrier CW transmitter, operating at around 32.5 MHz, with an rms output of 2 kW, has been installed, and a receiving site was established at 27 km away. Details of the equipment, together with height/time profiles of mean wind circulation and tides between 80 and 100 km, measured from August 9 to September 4, 1974, are presented.

Roper, R. G.↗

Theoretical and experimental studies of atmospheric structure and dynamics, using high altitude chemical release, Radio meteor, and meteorological rocket network and other data

Data collected by the Georgia Tech Radio Meteor Wind Facility during the fall and winter of 1975 are analyzed indicating a relationship between lower thermospheric circulation at mid latitudes and polar stratospheric dynamics. Techniques of measurement of mixing processes in the upper atmosphere and the interpretation of those measurements are described along with a diffusion simulation program based on the Global Reference Atmosphere program.

Edwards, H. D.↗

Simultaneous partial reflection and meteor radar wind observations at Urbana, Illinois, during the winter of 1974-1975

A program of observation was undertaken during the winter of 1974-1975 utilizing the meteor winds radar and partial reflection system at Urbana, Illinois. The north-south component of the prevailing wind representative of 80-100 km altitude was deduced for four 24-h observational periods during which partial reflection measurements of D-region electron density were made. These observations indicate southward mean motion during periods of higher electron density and northward mean motion during periods of lower electron density. This is consistent with the idea that increases in the transport of nitric oxide from the auroral zone is a cause of winter increases in D-region electron density at midlatitudes.

Geller, M. A.↗

Aeronomy report no. 74: The Urbana meteor-radar system; design, development, and first observations

The design, development, and first observations of a high power meteor-radar system located near Urbana, Illinois are described. The roughly five-fold increase in usable echo rate compared to other facilities, along with automated digital data processing and interferometry measurement of echo arrival angles, permits unsurpassed observations of tidal structure and shorter period waves. Such observations are discussed. The technique of using echo decay rates to infer density and scale height and the method of inferring wind shear from radial acceleration are examined. An original experiment to test a theory of the Delta-region winter anomaly is presented.

Hess, G. C.↗