A Radio Echo Method of Meteor Orbit Determination

Abstract

A radio echo system using three receivers spaced on the ground by 4 km has been used to determine the orbits of individual meteors. About 200 orbits can be calculated from the meteor echoes photographed during a 24 hour period of observation. An analysis of Geminid meteors observed in 1954 indicates that the accuracy obtainable is limited to about ± 2 km/sec in velocity by atmospheric deceleration, and to ± 3° in radiant position by turbulent winds in the meteor region.