Radio meteors October 2018

An overview of the radio observations during October 2018 is given.

 

The graphs show both the daily totals (Figure 1) and the hourly numbers (Figure 2) of “all” reflections counted automatically, and of manually counted “overdense” reflections, overdense reflections longer than 10 seconds and longer than 1 minute, as observed here at Kampenhout (BE) on the frequency of our VVS-beacon (49.99 MHz) during October 2018.

The hourly numbers, for echoes shorter than 1 minute, are weighted averages derived from:

N(h) = n(h-1)/4 + n(h)/2 + n(h+1)/4

During this month our registrations were fortunately almost free of strong local interference, there was no registered “sporadic E” (Es) and only on October 11th there were thunderstorms with moderate lightning activity.

Highlights of the month were mainly:

• the eruption of the Draconids on 201810_08-09, with many radio echoes but relatively few overdense reflections lasting longer than 10 seconds (Figure 3);
• the Orionids that were not exceptionally numerous this year, but still showed a nice number of long-lasting reflections, which can mainly be seen in the daily total of overdenses longer than 10 seconds on 20181023;
• radio echoes lasting more than 1 minute, with the most spectacular on 20181010_21:14 UT (Figure 4). Also during the period 201810_27-31 there were several powerful and long-lasting reflections (see Figures 5, 6 and 7).

If you are interested in the actual figures, please send me an e-mail:  felix.verbelen at skynet.be.