Astron. Astrophys. 357, 1115-1122 (2000)

2. Basic equations

The motion and ablation of a single non-fragmenting body through the atmosphere can be given by three differential equations (linear trajectory; gravity neglected; curved Earth's surface approximated by an osculating sphere, Ceplecha et al. 1993):

Two independent parameters of the problem can be expressed as

For a meteoroid at an arbitrary point of its trajectory, the notation has the following meaning: velocity; time (independent variable); mass; height; distance along the trajectory; air density; zenith distance of the radiant (slope to vertical); drag coefficient; heat transfer coefficient; is the shape factor; head cross-section; bulk density of meteoroid; energy necessary for ablation of a unit mass; are constants of the geometrical position of the trajectory.

© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 2000

Online publication: June 5, 2000
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