Physical Modeling of Meteors based on Radar Data

Abstract

Understanding meteor phenomena involves deciphering not only the physical properties of meteoroids but also their dynamic histories. While various ground- and space-based instruments can capture these phenomena, High-Power Large-Aperture (HPLA) radar systems stand out for their capacity to offer superior data with enhanced sensitivity and extended detection ranges, enabling the study of fainter meteors. Despite these advantages, meteor head echo detection with radar systems encounters inherent limitations, particularly regarding the inability to track the entire trajectory of meteors due to the narrow observational volume. This limitation often leads to missing the initial phase of the atmospheric meteor trajectory, where crucial information regarding pre-entry velocity, orbit determination, and mass estimation remains elusive. In this study, we introduce a new approach to processing radar meteor head echo detection by embedding a physical model that enables the reconstruction of meteoroid trajectories based on partial detection. Using the observational data obtained with MU radar, we demonstrate that this method is capable of addressing the limiting factor of radar volume and resolving the challenge of estimating pre-atmospheric velocity of meteoroids. This capability drastically improves our ability to interpret radar observations, offering a more comprehensive exploration of both sporadic meteors and meteor showers. It allows for the reconstruction of trajectories of faint meteors that may not be detectable by other means, such as optical techniques. This approach bridges the gap between radar detection and self-consistent physical modeling, enhancing current understanding and extending interpretability of a wider range of meteor phenomena.