E. Stokan and M.D. Campbell-Brown

Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada, N6A 3K7

Nine fragmenting, faint meteors (peak magnitude ∼+1, mass <10^-4 kg) were observed with the Canadian Automated Meteor Observatory (CAMO). Fragments for eight of the nine meteors exhibited significant transverse motion, perpendicular to the meteor velocity. Transverse speeds of the order 100 m s^-1 were observed, while models of aerodynamic loading predict speeds of the order 0.5 m s^-1. Acceleration of the fragments in the transverse direction was negligible. Alternate methods of fragmentation, namely rotation and electrostatic charge accumulation, were examined through basic models to explain the observed transverse speeds. Meteoroid strengths of the order 10⁶ Pa were derived, matching observed strengths of larger, brighter meteors.

Reference
Stokan E and Campbell-Brown MD (in press) Transverse motion of fragmenting faint meteors observed with the Canadian Automated Meteor Observatory. Icarus
[doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2014.01.002]
Copyright Elsevier

Link to Article