On the meteor height from forward scatter radio observations

Abstract

It is known from theory that, by means of a plasma physics approach, it is possible to obtain a simple formula to calculate the approximate height of a meteor (Foschini, 1999). This formula can be used in case of forward scatter of radio waves and has the advantage that it does not depend on the diffusion coefficient. On the other hand, it is possible to apply the formula to a particular type of meteor only (overdense meteor type I), which is a small fraction of the total number observed. We have carried out a statistical analysis of several radio echoes from meteor showers recorded during last years by a radio observer located in Belgium. Results are compared and discussed with those obtained with other methods and available in literature.