1．The Setting 1
1．1 Problems 1
1．2 Historical 3
2．The Atmosphere 7
2．1 Meteors as Probes of the Upper Atmosphere 7
2．2 Diffusion and Turbulence 7
2．3 Structure of the Upper Atmosphere 11
2．4 Recombination 15
2．5 Sound 16
3．Classification and Physico-Chemical Properties of Meteors 17
3．1 Meteor Classification and Nomenclature 17
3．2 Compact Meteors and Dustballs;Artificial Meteors 18
3．3 Classification of Phenomena 19
3．4 The Train 21
3．5 Relative Abundance of Meteoric Iron and Stone 22
3．6 Physical Properties of Iron 24
3．7 Physical Properties of Stone 25
3．8 Meteor Spectra 27
4．Meteoroid Energy Transfer 29
4．1 Geometry 29
4．2 Rotation 31
4．3 Aerodynamic Pressure，Drag，and Energy Transfer 34
4．4 Shielding By Vapors 43
4．5 The Coefficient of Accommodation 46
4．6 Radiation from Meteoroids 55
4．7 Sputtering 56
4．8 Deceleration 57
5．Ablation 60
5．1 Types and Heats of Ablation 60
5．2 Normal and Abnormal Environment 62
5．3 The Typical Light Curve 63
5．4 Observable Range and Length of Trail 65
5．5 Velocity-Mass Relation 68
5．6 General Equations of Ablation and Motion 72
5．7 The Standard Model 73
5．8 Atmospheric Density-Radius Relation in Standard Model 75
6．Details of Energy Transfer and Types of Ablation 80
6．1 Air Cap 80
6．2 Deformation of Drops and Limit of Spraying by Drag 83
6．3 Conductivity and Temperature Differences During Preheating 87
6．4 Deformation of Molten Meteoroids and Foreshortening of the Trail 88
6．5 Equalization of Evaporation and Radiation in the Absence of Rotation 90
6．6 Equalization by Convection in a Drop 91
6．7 Surface Heat Transport by Rotation 93
6．8 Radiation Losses and Temperature of Evaporation 97
6．9 Drag-Induced Flow of the Melt 101
6．10 Centrifugal Flow of the Melt 106
6．11 Charts of Types of Ablation 108
7．Atomic Collisions 113
7．1 Atomic Collisions as a Source of Ionization and Radiation 113
7．2 Potential Energy of Atomic Interaction 115
7．3 Elastic Energy Transfer 117
7．4 Total Path and Transversal Penetration of Atoms 121
7．5 Dilution of Coma 123
7．6 Inelastic Energy Transfer and Dissociation of Diatoms 127
7．7 Probability of Ionization and Excitation 128
7．8 Ion Distribution in the Coma 130
8．Meteor Radiation 133
8．1 Radiative Efficiency of Atomic Excited States 133
8．2 Luminous Efficiency of Meteor Impact Radiation 137
8．3 Temperature Radiation in Discrete Energy Levels 141
8．4 Other Sources of Meteor Radiation 145
8．5 Calculation of Meteor Masses 146
9．Some Applications 149
9．1 Draconids as Dustballs 149
9．2 The Average Naked-Eye Meteors 152
Appendix 1．Physical Characteristics of Iron 156
Appendix 2．Physical Characteristics of Meteoritic and Terrestrial Stone 159
Appendix 3．Miscellaneous Information 163
Principal Notations 165
References 167
Index 171