Advanced Meteor Orbit Radar observations of interstellar meteoroids

The Advanced Meteor Orbit Radar (AMOR) facility is providing an extensive d ata base of both the geophysical (atmospheric trajectory and velocity, heig ht, ionization characteristics, etc.) parameters and astronomical parameter s (heliocentric orbital elements, etc.) of Earth-impacting meteoroids of li miting particle radius 20 mu m. This continuous operation multi-station com plex provides an incisive probe of interplanetary dust orbital characterist ics. Close calibration using meteoroid stream orbital elements delineated b y other techniques (photographic, video, TV) permits robust dynamical infor mation to be established. This unique technique allows the identification o f the source geometry of the influx of extra-solar system particles: a gene ral background influx from southern ecliptic latitudes exists with enhanced areas that appear to be discrete sources. The dominant compact directional inflow appears from the direction of the main-sequence debris-disk star be ta Pictoris.