Simultaneous Correction of Velocity and Mass Bias in Photography of Meteors

Simultaneous Correction of Velocity and Mass Bias in Photography of Meteors

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  • Author: Cearcy D. Miller
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  • Category : Meteors
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 84

In any statistical study of characteristics of meteors with data obtained from photographs, corrections must be made for two inherent biasing effects due to the brighter trails left by meteors of greater mass and/or by meteors of greater velocity relative to Earth's atmosphere. In the past, attempts have been made to correct for both biasing effects with a weighting factor inversely proportional to the square of the meteor velocity relative to atmosphere. A new analysis has been made to investigate the magnitude of the weighting factor, specifically for application to photographic meteor data published by Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory. As a result of this analysis, a revised factor was obtained to operate upon actual counts of photographic meteors within various classes of velocity to provide a correct ratio of counts for all velocities reduced to any given lower mass limit. In the analysis, an expression was derived theoretically for maximum effective exposure on the photographic plate produced by a meteor in terms of the original mass of the particle, its velocity relative to Earth's atmosphere, and the angle of its path to the zenith. The expression for maximum effective exposure was tested and revised by application to 100 test meteors that were believed to have provided approximately uniform effective exposure density. The revised expression for maximum effective exposure was combined with a widely accepted equation for the influx rate of meteors of mass greater than a stated value to obtain approximately the desired weighting factor. The manner of the combination eliminated mass of the meteor particle from the factor. The analysis indicated a large change in value of the exponent of velocity relative to Earth's atmosphere in the weighting factor, namely, from -2 downward at least to -3.85 and possibly as low as -4.22. Application of the new factor should cause a significant reduction of estimates of average meteor velocities relative to the atmosphere. Extensive changes would also be required in estimates of other parameters that might bear a systematic relation to meteor velocities.


Empirical Analysis of Unaccelerated Velocity and Mass Distributions of Photographic Meteors

Empirical Analysis of Unaccelerated Velocity and Mass Distributions of Photographic Meteors

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  • Author: Cearcy D. Miller
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  • Category : Atmosphere
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 68

An empirical analysis was performed on data for 2000 sporadic meteors. A bimodal log-normal equation was found for unaccelerated velocity distribution, by empirical curve fitting to match observed velocity distributions for meteoroids within 10 ranges of mass with due regard to failure of observation of faint meteors. An exponent of -1.34 was confirmed in the equation for cumulative influx rate of meteoroids relative to mass. An exponent of -3.87 was established for meteoroid velocity relative to Earth's atmosphere as used in an earlier weighting factor for correction of biasing effects of velocity and mass. Earlier theoretical results were closely approximated.


NASA Technical Report

NASA Technical Report

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  • Author: United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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  • ISBN:
  • Category : Aerodynamics
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 880


Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports

Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports

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  • Author:
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  • Category : Aeronautics
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 308


Determination of Meteoroid Environments from Photographic Meteor Data

Determination of Meteoroid Environments from Photographic Meteor Data

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  • Author: Charles C. Dalton
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  • Category : Meteors
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 140

A mathematical model is used to represent 8pik's 1958 physical theory of meteors in a form convenient for programming the computation of meteoroid photometric mass values. Sub-samples of 333 photographic meteors from McCrosky and Posen's sample are selected with respect to magnitude scaled for minimum velocity. A statistical comparison between the 1958 8pik resulst and the 1933 8pik provisional result, the Harvard-Meteor project basis for mass values, lative flux in absolute units for mass, momentum and energy are given separately for the terrestrial influx and for the lunar and interplanetary vehicle onfluxes.


NASA Technical Note

NASA Technical Note

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  • Author:
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  • Category :
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 542


Manned Operations for the Apollo Lunar Module in a Simulated Space Environment

Manned Operations for the Apollo Lunar Module in a Simulated Space Environment

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  • Author: O. L. Pearson
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  • Category : Extravehicular space suits
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 920

Simulated space environment performance tests of Apollo lunar module in thermal vacuum environment.


Necessary Thickness of Randomly Oriented Armor for Meteoroid Protection

Necessary Thickness of Randomly Oriented Armor for Meteoroid Protection

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  • Author: C. D. Miller
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  • Category : Armor
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 52

Determination of armor thickness necessary for meteoroid protection.


Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications, Cumulative Index

Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications, Cumulative Index

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  • Author: United States. Superintendent of Documents
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  • Category : United States
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 1504


Meteoroid Hazard Evaluation for Simple Structures with Various Orientations

Meteoroid Hazard Evaluation for Simple Structures with Various Orientations

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  • Author: Cearoy D. Miller
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  • Category : Armor
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 76

A statistical analysis was performed with use of Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's data on photographic meteors with use of weighting factors developed at Lewis Research Center for correction of various biases involved in meteor photography. The analysis used an armor damage criterion supplied by Ames Research Center. Although the analysis was restricted to Earth's orbit about Sun, implications are discussed regarding total population of meteoroids throughout the solar system. In Earth's orbit about the Sun, advantage was found for cylindrical armor extending in the solar direction and a plane sheet alined normal to apex of Earth movement.