On the effect of small-scale wind shears on radio meteor echoes

Abstract

A theory of the effects of small scale wind shears, that is, those wind shears with vertical wavelengths less than about 6 km, on radio meteor echoes has been developed. It has been found that these wind shears can result in the premature decay of overdense radio meteor echoes and can also cause a scatter in the decay times of underdense radio meteors. Comparison of the theory with observational data indicates that in the meteor region the root-mean-square turbulent velocity associated with these small scale wind shears is <1.6 m sec −1; scatter in the decay times of underdense radio meteors due to these wind shears is estimated to be <20 per cent.