Heterogeneous chemical processes as a source of persistent meteor trains

Observations of long-lasting persistent trains following the entry of some meteoroids into the Earth's atmosphere are suggested to arise in part from the interaction between meteoroid components and the atmosphere and in the heterogeneous recombination reaction of atmospheric O atoms with NO. The la tter occurs on the surfaces of dust left by the explosive fragmentation of larger meteoroids. A strong role is attributed to reactions of troilite (Fe S), a meteorite component, with the atmosphere at elevated temperatures. Th e suggestions made in this paper complement previous work that suggested th at long-lived emissions results from a variety of species made in the shock of larger meteoroids.