Meteor Luminosity and Meteor Ionization

Abstract

IN two earlier communications^1,2 I drew attention to the fact that the discrepancy between theory and observation in respect of the light curves of meteors pointed out by Hawkins and Southworth³ apparently necessitates a modification of the conventional theory of meteor luminosity. There is a better fit between theory and observation if the luminous efficiency factor is assumed to be proportional to the atmospheric density at every point of the meteor trail. However, no physical justification was adduced for such an assumption.