Overview of the 2011 Draconids airborne observation campaign
Jérémie Vaubaillon, Pavel Koten, Regina Rudawska, Sylvain Bouley, Lucie Maquet, Colas, F., Juraj Tóth, Joe Zender, Jonathan P. McAuliffe, Pierre‐Dominique Pautet, Peter M. Jenniskens, Michael Gerding, Jiří Borovička, D. Koschny, Leroy, A., Lecacheux, J., Maria I. Gritsevich, František Ďuriš · ASEP · 2013
On October 8, 2011, the Draconids (DRA, IAU#09) erupted in an outburst predicted by meteor shower forecasting models. The first European airborne meteor observation campaign was organized and conducted with two Falcon aircraft, belonging to the French Scientific Research National Council (CNRS) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), respectively. The objective was to provide data to test prediction models and obtain insight into past activity of the parent comet, 21P/Giacobini- Zinner. The Draconids peaked at around 20h UT (predicted: 19h57m UT for the 1900-dust encounter), with a peak rate of 300 meteors per hour, about half the predicted level. Light curves are found to be surprisingly flat. Spectroscopy reveals an early release of sodium compared to magnesium, as observed during prior Draconid showers. The mission trajectory was designed so that the CNRS Falcon could cover the time period for the predicted 1873-1894 dust ejecta encounter as well, but no peak was seen with a rate estimate ZHRmax < 50 at 17h UT.