Observed diurnal and seasonal behavior of the micrometeor flux using the Arecibo and Jicamarca radars

We also showed that in order to explain the diurnal and seasonal behavior of the meteor rate detected at Arecibo, based on the results determined by the Jicamarca radar, a strong atmospheric filtering effect must exist. This effect is produced by the early and higher ablation of micrometeors, which enter the atmosphere a low elevation angles, probably reaching high temperature at higher altitudes and depositing some or all their material before they penetrate deep into the Mesosphere/Lower Thermosphere region. These results explain at some level the missing mass inconsistency raised by the comparison of meteor fluxes derived from satellite and traditional meteor radar observations. They also may be the source of the observed high altitude ions and metallic layers observed by radars and lidars, respectively.