Video Observation of the Leonids 2001 Activity

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of records obtained by video equipment of the 2001 Leonid meteor storm. Totally, 3712 meteors, including 22 non-Leonid ones, were recognized from the record of 247 min. The brightness of meteors was measured with the software “LIMovie”, and a population index of $r$$=$ 2.01$\ \pm\ $0.05 ($-$8 $\le$ mag $\le$$-$3) was thus derived. We proposed a way to derive the mass-distribution index, $s$$=$ 1.82, from only our one-station data. The maximum of the activity appeared at 18$^{\rm h}$25$^{\rm m}$ UT with an effective peak of ZHR$_{90^{\circ}\times67^{\circ}}$$=$ 52606 (mag $\le$$+$6.5). There are also compatible sub-peaks and high plateaus beside the main peak. One of them may correspond to the predicted 9-revolution dust trail (ejection in 1699). In this article we treat the cross section of the influx zone as a trapezoid. The peak “influx rate” generated by the 4-revolution dust trail (ejection in 1866) thus derived would be 6.76 $\times$ 10$^{-5}\ $km$^{-2}\ $s$^{-1}$ (mag $\le$$+$6.5), and the corresponding “spatial number density” would be 9.52 $\times$ 10$^{-7}\ $km$^{-3}$ (mag $\le$$+$6.5).