Application of meteor burst telemetry to snow hydrology

With the successful implementation of two hydrometeorological data acquisition systems using meteor burst technology during 1978, a review of associated capabilities and limitations is appropriate for the purpose of evaluating the potential of such systems for other planned automations.Data transmission via ionized trails in the upper atmosphere is accomplished by means of specially designed equipment configured in a network consistent with the survey requirement, radio path characteristics, and site conditions. The equipment must provide for a proper power budget, appropriate antenna arrays, capabilities for RF analog signal processing, data handling through digital logic circuits, and flexible sensor interface logic. A well designed software package is required to effectively control and command the system and to collect, organize, and forward sensor data.