DEPENDENCE OF INTEGRATED DURATION OF METEOR ECHOES ON WAVELENGTH AND SENSITIVITY

Abstract

The reflecting properties of short-duration and long-duration echoes from meteor trails are examined. For short-duration echoes only, the observed relation between relative numbers and durations of meteor echoes is independent of wavelength, the time of day, or the presence of a strong shower. Integrated duration times are determined from back-scatter experiments on 9.22 m., 5.35 m., and 2.83 m., and are found to vary with the 3.5th power of the wavelength, for either short- or long-duration echoes. The integrated echo power depends on the 6th power of the wavelength. The effect of changing the equipment sensitivity is considered. The data from the back-scatter observations are used to predict the integrated duration times in the forward-scatter case, and in particular, it is shown that the results of the Cedar Rapids – Sterling very-high-frequency experiment may be explained by meteoric reflections.