Large-Body Meteoroids in the Leonid Stream

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Abstract
There are presently no direct observational constraints upon the size of the largest meteoroids within the Leonid stream. An upper lower bound may, however, be placed through secondary observations relating to the occurrence of electrophonic sounds during the 1833 Leonid storm. By considering the ablation and very low frequency radio wave emission conditions necessary to produce electrophonic sounds, a preatmospheric lower bound of 1.24 ± 0.1 m is placed upon the diameter of the largest meteoroids within the Leonid stream. The presence of meter-sized meteoroids within the Leonid stream indicates that mechanisms beyond that of surface ice sublimation are active in adding meteoroids to cometary streams.

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