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Leonids 2002 : MAC Mission Results
2002 Leonids : Leonid Multi-Instrument Aircraft Campaign
Leonid news
Leonid MAC mission news
Status of project as of Nov 23, 2002 ====================================== 1. 2002 LEONID MAC MISSION BEST YET The NASA and USAF sponsored 2002 Leonid MAC mission was a great success. Both aircraft were above clouds and under perfect conditions for viewing both of the 2002 Leonid storms enroute from Torrejon, Spain, to Offutt AFB near Omaha, Nebraska. All instruments worked as expected and aurora, moon, and meteors made the view scenic and truely spectacular at times. The Leonid meteor storms occurred much as predicted. European observers saw the peak at 04:09 UT (ZHR = 2,300/hr - with the absolute scale still rather uncertain), while observers in the America's witnessed a storm peaking at 10:50 UT (ZHR = 2,600/hr). Both peaks were narrow, with a full-width-at-half-maximum of only 0.52 and 0.50 hours, respectively. Both peaks were also rich in faint meteors. As a result, the near-full Moon and bad weather at prime observing sites made visual observations from the ground difficult. Preliminary results from 1-minute counts gathered by Morris Jones and seven other members of the flux measurement team on board NASA's DC-8 Airborne Laboratory during the 2002 Leonid MAC mission show a very precise flux profile. Preliminary results (with a 3-point average and given in 2-minute intervals) are presented in the Table below. These 2002 Leonid storm observations provide important new data for dust trail models. The dynamic models by Lyytinen et al. and Vaubaillon were only minutes off from the observed peak time. The fact that the flux profiles are narrow is very significant, because it demonstrates that the dust trails do not widen over time, as in the models by Lyytinen et al. (radiation pressure) and those by Asher & McNaught and Vaubaillon (a.o., from dynamic forces). In fact, the measured width is only slightly narrower than predicted by Jenniskens, who had 0.64 and 0.60 hrs, respectively. In addition, the strong showing in Europe confirms the small trail shifts noticed earlier. The most important result may have been the high abundance of faint meteors. While predicted in some models, the distribution of meteoroid sizes in the trails is still poorly understood, and the new observations will help put constraints on this variable. A high background of activity persisted between the two storm peaks. That background may reflect the 1833 dust trail encounter (Lyytinen's prediction put the encounter time at 06:36 UT), or it could be a manifestation of the Leonid Filament. Graphs of the results have been posted at our website: http://leonid.arc.nasa.gov Results of other scientific efforts will be posted as they become available. The flux measurement team consisted of Morris Jones, Chris Crawford, Jane Houston-Jones, Bob Lunsford, David Holman, Peter Gural, David Nugent, and Ruediger Jehn, the latter representing ESA. The data were analyzed by Peter Jenniskens, Morris Jones, David Holman, Chris Crawford, and Peter Gural. A further improvement of results is expected when the sky limiting magnitude and magnitude size distribution have been studied in more detail, and when also the FISTA video tapes (operated by Mike Koop) have been examined. Also, Jim Richardson and a team of observers gathered additional data from a ground site at Mount Lemmon Observatory in Tucson, Arizona. We thank the aircraft operators at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, notably mission managers Bob Curry and Chris Jennison, and at the USAF 418th Flight Test Squadron, especially mission managers Don Bustillos and Jon Haser for their heroic efforts to make the 2002 Leonid MAC mission possible. Some 300 people took responsibility for bringing various aspects of the campaign together. Our host at Torrejon in Spain was Juan Perez-Mercader, the director of the Center for Astrobiology (CAB). Capt. Rafael Gomez-Blanco made the logistic arrangements. The mission was sponsored by NASA's Astrobiology Program (Mike Meyer), NASA's Planetary Astronomy program (John Hillman), and by NASA Ames Research Center (Greg Schmidt). Support was also received from the Center for Astrobiology and the European Space Agency. The participation of individual research teams was made possible by local institutes and organizations. The mission was executed as part of the Aerospace MOIE program (Ray Russell). I also thank Hal Roey, Brenda Simmons, Debbie Kolyer, Sue Lehr, Edna deVore, and Chris Chyba of the SETI Institute for their efforts on behalf of this final Leonid Multi-Instrument Aircraft Campaign. -Peter Jenniskens ---------------------------------------- Time(hr) Sol long ZHR +/- 02 Nov 19 (J2000) (/hr) (/hr) ---------------------------------------- 2.767 236.5580 284 99 2.800 236.5594 253 108 2.833 236.5607 292 56 2.867 236.5621 336 52 2.900 236.5636 257 69 2.933 236.5650 332 67 2.967 236.5664 304 58 3.000 236.5677 316 49 3.033 236.5692 324 52 3.067 236.5706 257 47 3.100 236.5720 345 48 3.133 236.5733 302 43 3.167 236.5748 275 36 3.200 236.5762 332 45 3.233 236.5776 293 49 3.350 236.5825 295 63 3.383 236.5839 359 82 3.417 236.5853 514 66 3.450 236.5867 385 56 3.483 236.5881 444 56 3.517 236.5895 511 58 3.550 236.5909 501 51 3.583 236.5923 419 51 3.617 236.5937 566 61 3.650 236.5951 779 82 3.683 236.5965 655 68 3.717 236.5979 718 90 3.750 236.5993 1000 101 3.783 236.6007 797 91 3.817 236.6021 970 74 3.850 236.6035 1379 94 3.883 236.6049 1302 107 3.917 236.6063 1331 95 3.950 236.6077 1481 102 3.983 236.6091 1790 121 4.017 236.6105 1727 103 4.050 236.6119 1985 111 4.083 236.6133 2350 118 4.117 236.6147 2819 121 4.150 236.6161 2499 134 4.183 236.6175 2520 148 4.217 236.6189 2539 120 4.250 236.6203 1728 109 4.283 236.6217 1486 104 4.317 236.6231 1613 97 4.350 236.6245 1562 99 4.383 236.6259 1467 97 4.417 236.6273 1471 91 4.450 236.6287 1193 83 4.483 236.6301 941 81 4.517 236.6315 899 73 4.550 236.6329 933 72 4.583 236.6343 1139 88 4.617 236.6357 859 73 4.650 236.6371 818 95 4.683 236.6385 1009 111 4.717 236.6399 821 111 4.750 236.6413 663 80 4.783 236.6427 909 123 4.817 236.6441 645 74 4.850 236.6455 495 80 4.883 236.6469 535 102 4.917 236.6483 417 80 4.950 236.6497 365 83 4.983 236.6511 546 110 5.017 236.6525 355 76 5.050 236.6539 496 73 5.083 236.6553 533 76 5.117 236.6567 345 74 5.150 236.6581 309 93 5.183 236.6595 539 108 5.217 236.6609 293 72 5.250 236.6623 462 163 5.283 236.6637 261 92 5.317 236.6651 456 161 5.350 236.6665 520 184 5.383 236.6679 324 115 5.417 236.6693 291 103 5.600 236.6770 169 42 5.633 236.6784 168 42 5.667 236.6798 318 79 5.700 236.6812 280 70 5.917 236.6903 175 33 5.950 236.6917 200 33 5.983 236.6931 217 38 6.017 236.6945 297 38 6.050 236.6959 273 36 6.083 236.6973 231 37 6.117 236.6987 294 40 6.150 236.7001 251 40 6.183 236.7015 175 40 6.217 236.7029 302 43 6.250 236.7043 227 31 6.283 236.7057 224 33 6.317 236.7071 265 39 6.350 236.7085 219 38 6.383 236.7099 260 39 6.417 236.7113 184 37 6.450 236.7127 161 49 6.483 236.7141 217 44 6.517 236.7155 145 29 6.550 236.7169 139 59 6.583 236.7183 180 55 6.617 236.7197 280 51 6.650 236.7211 204 41 6.683 236.7225 164 35 6.717 236.7239 155 42 6.750 236.7253 307 62 6.783 236.7267 299 68 6.817 236.7281 281 85 6.850 236.7295 175 75 6.883 236.7309 315 72 6.917 236.7323 224 43 6.950 236.7337 219 34 6.983 236.7351 157 29 7.017 236.7365 162 37 7.050 236.7379 147 24 7.083 236.7393 123 28 7.200 236.7442 206 52 7.233 236.7457 261 65 7.267 236.7471 344 86 7.300 236.7484 278 70 7.333 236.7498 231 58 7.367 236.7513 94 24 7.400 236.7527 131 33 7.433 236.7541 159 48 7.467 236.7554 136 41 7.500 236.7569 221 47 7.533 236.7583 248 40 7.567 236.7597 188 43 7.600 236.7611 195 45 7.633 236.7625 216 58 7.667 236.7639 185 56 7.700 236.7653 140 38 7.733 236.7667 156 39 7.767 236.7681 117 29 7.800 236.7695 95 24 7.833 236.7709 100 25 7.867 236.7723 111 28 7.900 236.7737 89 22 7.933 236.7751 155 39 7.967 236.7765 155 39 8.000 236.7779 144 39 8.033 236.7793 158 36 8.067 236.7807 214 34 8.100 236.7821 278 48 8.133 236.7835 245 38 8.167 236.7849 196 36 8.200 236.7863 147 24 8.233 236.7877 178 41 8.267 236.7891 154 28 8.300 236.7905 142 30 8.333 236.7919 196 30 8.367 236.7933 136 21 8.400 236.7947 212 33 8.433 236.7961 199 35 8.467 236.7975 283 40 8.500 236.7989 227 43 8.533 236.8003 188 31 8.567 236.8017 226 41 8.600 236.8031 194 52 8.633 236.8045 212 48 8.667 236.8059 286 41 8.700 236.8073 147 31 8.733 236.8087 171 34 8.767 236.8101 86 23 8.800 236.8115 180 33 8.833 236.8129 219 44 8.867 236.8143 187 43 8.900 236.8157 234 43 8.933 236.8171 167 45 8.967 236.8185 206 38 9.000 236.8199 146 37 9.033 236.8213 335 44 9.067 236.8227 248 36 9.100 236.8241 104 26 9.133 236.8255 96 24 9.167 236.8269 297 74 9.200 236.8283 250 62 9.233 236.8297 176 44 9.267 236.8311 103 26 9.300 236.8325 145 36 9.333 236.8339 116 29 9.367 236.8353 217 38 9.400 236.8367 172 27 9.433 236.8381 121 23 9.467 236.8395 352 49 9.500 236.8409 284 54 9.533 236.8423 156 42 9.567 236.8437 175 32 9.600 236.8451 250 36 9.633 236.8465 238 40 9.667 236.8479 261 33 9.700 236.8493 282 36 9.733 236.8507 328 39 9.767 236.8521 203 31 9.800 236.8535 285 39 9.833 236.8549 354 52 9.867 236.8563 275 33 9.900 236.8577 297 39 9.933 236.8591 335 41 9.967 236.8605 397 38 10.000 236.8619 395 39 10.033 236.8633 314 38 10.067 236.8647 322 31 10.100 236.8661 271 34 10.133 236.8675 376 34 10.167 236.8689 438 42 10.200 236.8703 434 41 10.233 236.8717 507 41 10.267 236.8731 559 53 10.300 236.8745 625 52 10.333 236.8759 652 53 10.367 236.8773 680 47 10.400 236.8787 732 53 10.433 236.8801 805 59 10.467 236.8815 1022 68 10.500 236.8829 993 61 10.533 236.8843 1195 69 10.567 236.8857 1393 74 10.600 236.8871 1398 83 10.633 236.8885 1588 77 10.667 236.8899 1945 103 10.700 236.8913 2154 99 10.733 236.8927 2255 114 10.767 236.8941 2817 124 10.800 236.8955 2410 110 10.833 236.8969 2820 111 10.867 236.8983 2702 151 10.900 236.8997 2667 106 10.933 236.9011 2329 95 10.967 236.9025 2298 97 11.000 236.9039 1954 93 11.033 236.9053 1447 101 11.067 236.9067 1360 105 11.100 236.9081 1270 112 11.133 236.9095 1111 99 11.167 236.9109 1051 91 11.200 236.9123 726 79 11.233 236.9137 667 70 11.267 236.9151 803 83 11.300 236.9165 705 85 11.333 236.9179 763 86 11.367 236.9193 908 87 11.400 236.9207 625 69 11.433 236.9221 595 90 11.467 236.9235 531 56 11.500 236.9249 462 62 11.533 236.9263 612 60 11.567 236.9277 510 71 11.600 236.9292 543 64 11.633 236.9305 470 62 11.667 236.9319 426 56 11.700 236.9333 542 67 11.733 236.9348 331 38 11.767 236.9362 389 57 11.800 236.9375 324 46 11.833 236.9389 271 38 11.867 236.9404 339 50 11.900 236.9418 260 47 11.933 236.9432 221 40 11.967 236.9445 240 39 12.000 236.9460 221 77 12.017 236.9467 278 51 12.050 236.9481 249 50 ---------------------------------------- Peter Jenniskens The SETI Institute e-mail: pjenniskens@mail.arc.nasa.gov 2035 Landings Drive NASA tel: (650) 604-3086 Mountain View, CA 94043 fax: (650) 604-1088 http://leonid.arc.nasa.gov http://aio.arc.nasa.gov/~leonid/
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This page was last modified on December 2, 2002 by Hans Betlem and Casper ter Kuile |