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Optical observations of meteoric dust in the middle atmosphere during Leonid activity in recent years 2001–2003 over India
Author(s) -
Padma Kumari B.,
TrigoRodríguez J. M.,
Londhe A. L.,
Jadhav D. B.,
Trimbake H. K.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2005gl023434
Subject(s) - atmosphere (unit) , astrobiology , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , astronomy , geology , meteorology , geography , physics
Twilight photometric technique has been used in order to demonstrate that the middle atmosphere can be perturbed by the presence of tiny particles delivered after an encounter with cometary dust trails like the one produced by 55P/Tempel‐Tuttle. The presence of meteoric dust in the atmosphere from the Leonid activity that occurred from 2001 to 2003 was detected by the twilight photometer operated at Pune (18.5°N, 73.9°E), India. The November 2001 and 2002 Leonid storms, and the 2003 November outburst, caused significant enhancements of dust from just above the mesopause to the lower stratosphere. The present study shows the formation of meteoric dust layers at mesospheric levels and their subsequent descent to lower altitudes. The enhanced stratospheric layers are observed 4 to 8 days after the peak meteor activity.