The current development of the Taiwan Meteor Detector System (TMDS) with a dedication to the Geminids 2017 and 2018

• Published in: Planetary and space science Vol. 180; p. 104763
• Main Authors: Lin, Zhong-Yi, Chi, Hsin-Chang, Wang, Bo-Hao, Lin, Zong-Yi, Liu, Chih-Cheng, Lee, Jim, Lin, Hung-Chin, Wu, Bingsyun, Ma, Xue-Hui, Liao, Chia-Hsien
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2020
• Subjects: Geminids; Orbits; Phaethon; Geminids; Orbits; Phaethon
• ISSN: 0032-0633; 1873-5088
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pss.2019.104763

We summarize the outcomes of the first 2-year period observations using the Taiwan Meteor Detector System (TMDS) since its establishment in August 2016. The TDMS is an automated four-station video meteor system equipped to record meteors as well as obtain the meteor orientations in space. The multi-station observations of an individual meteor make feasible determination of the orbital parameters corresponding to the meteor. The associated parent bodies of individual meteors are consequently identified from the orbital information. To demonstrate, we also present an analysis of the results from the Geminid meteor stream in 2017 and 2018 with the magnitude and velocity distribution being provided. In addition, a conclusive interrelation is verified while applying the Southworth-Hawkins D-criterion (Dsh) to compare the similarities between Geminids and the asteroid 3200 Phaethon orbits. The newly established TMDS can perform real-time as well as long-term synchronous surveillance of meteor events. •Taiwan Meteor Detector System (TMDS) consists of ten cameras distributed at four different locations in Taiwan (Mt. Yangmingshan, Fushoushan Farm, Lulin Observatory, and Kenting Observatory).•676 precise orbits of meteors are identified from two or three separate stations but only 235 orbits can be classified into known meteor showers.•The Geminid meteor shower in 2017 and 2018 had been analyzed. More than 74% of Geminids have velocity between 35 and 39 km/s