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On the influx of small comets into the Earth's upper atmosphere I. Observations
Author(s) -
Frank L. A.,
Sigwarth J. B.,
Craven J. D.
Publication year - 1986
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/gl013i004p00303
Subject(s) - atmosphere (unit) , meteoroid , atmospheric sciences , airglow , thermosphere , aeronomy , environmental science , wavelength , astrobiology , atmosphere of earth , mesosphere , physics , ionosphere , stratosphere , meteorology , astronomy , optics
Images of the earth's dayglow emissions at ultraviolet wavelengths, primarily those of atomic oxygen at 130.4 nm, reveal regions of transient intensity decreases to ∼ 5% to 20% of surrounding values over areas estimated to be ∼ 2,000 km². The duration of these transient decreases in intensities is ∼ several minutes. Approximately 10 of these events occur each minute in the dayside upper atmosphere. The diurnal variation of the rate of occurrence is qualitatively similar to that for radar meteors.