The parent of the Quadrantid meteoroid stream (original) (raw)
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Meteor stream activity V. The Quadrantids, a very young stream
This paper presents the first large set of precisely reduced orbits of Quadrantid meteoroids. These orbits were obtained from photographic observations during the 1995 return of the Quadrantid stream. The orbits refer to the main peak of the activity curve, with an unidentified few being part of a broad background component. The measured dispersion of orbits is less than from previous data obtained by less accurate techniques. In combination with existing stream models, we conclude that the main component is only about 500 years young, much less than the 5000-7500 year age that was widely assumed before. This main peak is now interpreted as an “outburst”, with an evolution history similar to other near-comet type outbursts, while the background is thought to be the classical “annual” dust component. The stream does not originate from comet 96P/Machholz 1. Rather, the parent object may be hiding as an asteroid-like object in a high-inclination orbit. An estimate of that orbit is given.
Associations Between Asteroids and Meteoroid Streams
Earth, Moon, and Planets, 2006
The recent systematic monitoring of the skies has led to the discovery of an increasingly large number of objects on Earth approaching orbits. Not surprisingly, an increasing number of this population have also been associated with meteoroid streams in the literature. We will review the history of this topic. We have also conducted our own search for asteroids moving on orbits that are similar to the orbits of known fireball streams. As NEOs are moving in prograde orbits with low geocentric velocities, any potential streams will have large radiant areas and in consequence, may have been identified as several ''sub-streams''. This greatly hampers both their detection and their recognition as single meteoroid streams. With the large number of Near Earth Asteroids detected, the probability of two orbits being similar at the present time by coincidence is high. We have therefore also investigated the evolution of the orbits and only include as real asteroid-stream pairs those where the evolution is also similar over 5000 years. We have identified nine pairs, including the well known pair of the Geminid meteoroid stream and asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Currently there are a number of papers being published on the pairing of asteroid 2003 EH1 and the Quadrantid meteoroid stream. Because of the newness of the research and the fact that this is a high inclination pair, we have excluded this pair from our discussions.
Monthly Notices of The Royal Astronomical Society, 2006
Object 2003 EH1 was recently identified as the parent body of the Quadrantid meteor shower. The origin of this body is still uncertain. We use data on 51 Quadrantid meteors obtained from double-station video observations as an insight on the parent body properties. A data analysis shows that the Quadrantids are similar to other meteor showers of cometary origin in some aspects, but in others to Geminid meteors. Quadrantid meteoroids have partially lost volatile component, but are not depleted to the same extent as Geminid meteoroids. In consideration of the orbital history of 2003 EH1, these results lead us to the conclusion that the parent body is a dormant comet.
The prediction of meteor showers from all potential parent comets
arXiv (Cornell University), 2014
The objectives of this project are to predict new meteor showers associated with as many as possible known periodic comets and to find a generic relationship of some already known showers with these comets. For a potential parent comet, we model a theoretical stream at the moment of its perihelion passage in a far past, and follow its dynamical evolution until the present. Subsequently, we analyze the orbital characteristics of the parts of the stream that approach the Earth's orbit. Modelled orbits of the stream particles are compared with the orbits of actual photographic, video, and radar meteors from several catalogues. The whole procedure is repeated for several past perihelion passages of the parent comet. To keep our description compact but detailed, we usually present only either a single or a few parent comets with their associated showers in one paper. Here, an overview of the results from the modelling of the meteor-shower complexes of more than ten parent bodies will be presented. This enables their diversities to be shown. Some parent bodies may associate meteor showers which exhibit a symmetry of their radiant areas with respect to the ecliptic (ecliptical, toroidal, or showers of an ecliptic-toroidal structure), and there are showers which have no counterpart with a similar ecliptical longitude on the opposite hemisphere. However, symmetry of the radiant areas of the pair filaments with respect to the Earth's apex is visible in almost all the complexes which we examined.
Meteor-shower complex of asteroid 2003 EH1 compared with that of comet 96P/Machholz
Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2013
Aims. We studied the structure of the meteoroid particle complexes released from asteroid 196 256 (2003 EH1) to reveal the relationship to the meteor showers observed in Earth's atmosphere that belong to this complex as well. In addition, we studied the relationship between the asteroid and comet 96P/Machholz, which is situated in the same orbital phase space. Methods. For nine perihelion passages of the parent asteroid in the past, we modeled the associated theoretical streams and followed their dynamical evolution until the present. Subsequently, we analyzed the orbital characteristics of the modeled streams, especially of the parts that approach Earth's orbit. Results. We confirm the filamentary structure of the complex, which is qualitatively identical to the complex of 96P. Six wellestablished and two minor filaments approach the orbit of the Earth, producing four well-known meteor showers, daytime Arietids, Southern δ-Aquarids, Quadrantids, and Northern δ-Aquarids.
The Kappa Cygnid meteoroid complex
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2006
The Kappa Cygnid meteor shower was first identified in 1874. However, since it appears immediately after the well-known Perseid shower, very little attention has been paid to it. We have searched through catalogues of meteor orbits in order to derive the best possible set of elements for the mean stream. We have then used the MPC catalogue to search for comets and asteroids that have similar orbits, and so may be associated with the formation of the stream. Since the number of known asteroids is large, chance agreement at the current time in orbital elements is possible. By numerical integration, we have investigated the past orbital history of both stream and potential parent. Only if there is good agreement do we consider a relationship to have been established. We find that one asteroid 2001 MG1 matches the evolution of a subgroup of orbits, we also find that asteroid 2004 LA12 has a similar evolution and that both could be fragments of the original parent.
The Dynamics of Meteoroid Streams
2002
Meteors are streaks of light seen in the upper atmosphere when particles from the interplanetary dust complex collide with the Earth. Meteor showers originate from the impact of a coherent stream of such dust particles, generally assumed to have been recently ejected from a parent comet. The parent comets of these dust particles, or meteoroids, fortunately, for us tend not to collide with the Earth. Hence there has been orbital changes from one to the other so as to cause a relative movement of the nodes of the meteor orbits and that of the comet, implying changes in the energy and/or angular momentum. In this review, we will discuss these changes and their causes and through this place limits on the ejection process. Other forces also come into play in the longer term, for example perturbations from the planets, and the effects of radiation pressure and Poynting-Robertson drag. The effect of these will also be discussed with a view to understanding both the observed evolution in some meteor streams. Finally we will consider the final fate of meteor streams as contributors to the interplanetary dust complex.
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2013
We present new orbital data and dynamic results pointing towards the origin of the Northern χ-Orionid meteoroid stream, which is a part of the Taurid meteoroid complex. A new software package was developed to establish the potential parent bodies of meteoroid streams based on the similarity of their orbits. The analysis of a Northern χ-Orionid fireball observed on 2011 December 6 identified two potential parent bodies: the near-Earth object (NEO) 2002XM35 (previously proposed as the parent of this meteoroid stream) and the more recently discovered potentially hazardous asteroid 2008XM1. The calculation of the evolution of the orbital elements performed by using the Mercury 6 symplectic integrator supports the idea that 2008XM1 is a better parent body. Our data sample was expanded by including also in the calculations the mean orbit of the χ-Orionid stream. The results are consistent with the fragmentation of a larger body in the past that could give rise to both NEOs and the Northern χ-Orionid stream. To confirm this, further observations to improve the orbital elements of these asteroids should be attempted before the objects are lost. The analysis of the emission spectrum recorded for this fireball supports a primitive nature for these meteoroids.
The Evolution of Meteoroid Streams
International Astronomical Union Colloquium
The existence of meteoroid streams is indicated by the regular appearance of coherent meteor activity at specified times during the year. Since it is the interaction of the meteoroid with the atmosphere that is detected, the meteoroid has to be greater than about 100 micrometers in radius. Observation of these interactions gives information on individual meteoroids as well as collective phenomena. It is generally agreed that streams form through the ejection of dust particles from the surfaces of comets and asteroids at speeds considerably lower than the orbital speed. The subsequent motion of these particles is affected by gravitational perturbations from the planets and the effects of solar radiation forces. This review is intended to present an overview of the development of the subject and of our current state of knowledge.