Further studies of the effect of the Earth's magnetic field on meteor trains

Watkins, C.D.; Eames, R.; Nicholson, T.F.

doi:10.1016/0021-9169(71)90167-x

Cited by 10 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 16 publications

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“…However, radar observations used to compare the relative importance of cross-field and parallel diffusion rates have returned ambiguous results [Watkins et al, 1971;Baggaley and Webb, 1980]. Our research shows that instability-driven anomalous diffusion enhances cross-field trail expansion and may explain the observational ambiguities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The anomalous diffusion of meteor trails

Dyrud

Oppenheim

Endt

2001

Geophysical Research Letters

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Abstract.Radars frequently detect meteor trails created by the ablation of micro-meteoroids between 70 and 120 km altitude in the atmosphere. Plasma simulations show that density gradients a.t the edges of meteor trails drive gradientdrift instabilities which develop into waves with perturbed electric fields often exceeding hundreds of mV/m. These waves create an anomalous cross-field diffusion that can exceed the cross-field (2_ B) ambipolar diffusion by an order of magnitude. The characteristics of the instabilities and anomalous diffusion depend on the trail altitude, latitude, and density gradient. A simple relation defines the minimum altitude at which meteor trail density gradients drive plasma instabilities and anomalous diffusion. These results impact a number of meteor radar studies, including those that use diffusion rates to determine trail altitude, and atmospheric temperature.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%