Meteor Showers from Broken Comets
Abstract
Even though comets have been observed to break, there was no strong evidence until now that the meteoroids generated in these discrete and relatively rare events accounted for meteoroid streams detected as meteor showers on Earth. That has changed now minor planet 2003 EH1 and other such inactive (dormant) and weakly active comet nuclei are found still intimately associated with known meteoroid streams. More and more of such minor bodies are now identified. The meteor showers that are likely from the fragmentation of comets rather than from Whipple-type ejection by water vapor drag now include the Quadrantids, Daytime Arietids, delta-Aquariids, Capricornids, Taurids, Andromedids, Phoenicids, and Geminids, representing most of our strongest annual showers. This makes the breakup of dormant comet nuclei an important mechanism to replenish the zodiacal cloud.
- Publication:
-
Dust in Planetary Systems
- Pub Date:
- January 2007
- Bibcode:
- 2007ESASP.643....3J