Anisotropic diffusion of meteor trails due to the geomagnetic field over King Sejong Station (62.2°S, 58.8°W), Antarctica

• Published in: Astrophysics and space science Vol. 363; no. 6; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Choi, Jong-Min, Kwak, Young-Sil, Kim, Yong Ha, Lee, Changsup, Kim, Jeong-Han, Jee, Geonhwa, Yang, Tae-Yong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-06-2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Altitude; Anisotropy; Astrobiology; Astronomy; Astrophysics; Astrophysics and Astroparticles; Atmospheric density; Cosmology; Decay; Diffusion; Diffusion processes; Dilution; Geomagnetic field; Geomagnetism; Magnetic fields; Magnetism; Meteor trails; Meteors; Molecular chains; Observations and Techniques; Original Article; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Radar; Space Exploration and Astronautics; Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics; Very high frequencies; Antarctica; Anisotropic diffusion; Antarctica; Meteor trail
• ISSN: 0004-640X; 1572-946X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10509-018-3333-y

We analyzed meteor decay times measured by a VHF meteor radar at King Sejong Station, Antarctica (62.22°S, 58.78°W) to study diffusion processes of the meteor trails above the altitude of ∼93 km. Above this altitude, where the atmospheric density is so dilute that collisions between trail ions and ambient molecules become rare, diffusion of a meteor trail can be greatly affected by the geomagnetic field, resulting in anisotropic distribution of measured decay times over the azimuthal and elevation angles. Our preliminary analysis confirm the anisotropic nature of meteor decay times due to geomagnetic field.