The UAE Meteor Monitoring Network
Abstract
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been an active contributor to the space industry worldwide as it developed and established numerous space-related projects. Among them is the UAE Meteor Monitoring Network (UAEMMN) which is a project that aims to observe and detect space debris in the UAE sky. The network is operated by the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST), and funded by the UAE Space Agency (UAESA). It is made up of three towers, along with 17 cameras mounted on each, placed in different areas of the country namely, Sharjah, Al-Yahar, and Liwa. The "UFO" software is used to analyze the captured space debris data and to generate radiant and orbit maps which provide more insight about the observed meteors. Our preliminary results showed a large number of meteors detected from all three stations, with the Liwa station scoring the highest rate because of its secluded desert location. Overall, we observed more than 18,000 meteors of different magnitudes. Throughout this paper we will focus on the construction of the towers, the observation capabilities provided by the network, and the role of the system as a contributor in the UAE Space Agency Space Situation Awareness program.
- Publication:
-
43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Held 28 January - 4 February
- Pub Date:
- January 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021cosp...43E.321A