Ground based meteor radar of Kazan Federal University

Currently, sources of meteor particles that fall into the upper atmosphere when the Earth moves in its orbit are being actively investigated. For this, the radiometric method is very actively used. This method is based on the radiolacation of meteor trails that appear as a result of the ionization of air in the mesosphere – the lower thermosphere (75-110 km) during the combustion of meteors. Radiometric observations of meteor showers are actively conducted at Kazan Federal University. Regular observations began in 1978, and the first data measuring the heights of meteor combustion began in 1985. In 2015, a Skiymet-type meteor radar of joint Canadian and Australian production was installed. The KFU meteor radar consists of a phase interferometer (five two-element crossed receiving antennas of the Yagi-Udo type) with bases of wavelengths 2 and 2.5, a transmitting antenna (crossed three-element antennas), as well as a transmitter with a power of 15 kW per pulse (average power of about 1 kW) with a carrier frequency of 29.75 MHz and a pulse repetition frequency of 1594 Hz.
The meteor radar of Kazan Federal University (56N, 49E) is constantly being upgraded. The results of modernization are presented: a significant increase in the number of meteors and the accuracy of the estimation of angular coordinates and heights.