RADAR OBSERVATIONS OF THE GEMINID METEOROID STREAM

Continuous radio-wave monitoring of the Geminid activity in December 1 992 and 1993 by using a forward scatter (FS) bistatic radar over the B ologna-Lecce baseline (700 km) in Italy, reveals peculiar structural a spects of the stream in terms of signal amplitude-rate and duration-ra te dependence. The observational results of the Geminid display obtain ed in the two consecutive years with differentiated peak levels of tra nsmitted power, exhibit different time distributions of underdense met eors against the signal received power. Both sets of the data relative to the peak activity in December 12-14, show reflection properties of Geminids which are atypical if compared with echoes from cometary-typ e showers, with really high echo counts at mid-upper levels of the pea k received power. An assymmetric curve of activity of the Geminids com plex is evidenced, with the peak flux of smaller particles occurring e arlier than that of larger ones.