Activities carried out by Dr. Shinsuke Abe in Ondrejov were primarily focused on spectroscopic researches related to ultraviolet meteor spectra and meteor trains. The first work entitled 'Detection of the N2+ First Negative System in a Bright Leonid Fireball' was publish in the Astrophysical Journal, 618, L141-L144, 2005. An ultraviolet-visible spectrum between 300 and 450 nm of a cometary meteoroid that originated from 55P/Tempel-Tuttle was investigated, and its new molecules, induced by atmospheric interaction, were discovered. This discovery was extremely important to understand meteor emission processes as well as the delivery of organic matter at the time of the origin of life. The second work entitled 'Video and Photographic Spectroscopy of 1998 and 2001 Leonid Persistent Trains from 300 to 930 nm' was accepted in Earth, Moon and Planets, 2005. Bright fireballs sometimes leave a long-lasting glow that is called a persistent train which lasts long after the disappearance of its parent meteor. However, the knowledge of physical process of trains is still far from satisfactory. An extensive combined spectroscopy in UV and visible region (300-930 nm) was observed for the first time and train's rotational temperatures resulted from atmospheric O2 A(0,1) band and ratios of atomic intensities at appropriate altitude were estimated. These activities have been elaborated mainly with Dr. Jiri Borovicka. Finally, I would like to introduce the asteroidal explore mission, my ongoing work that was launched in May 2003 and will arrive at asteroid ITOKAWA in this summer. 
 

Vladimir Karas
organizer