On Association of Asteroid 2003EH1 and Comet 96P/MACHHOLZ 1

The differential orbital evolution of the near-Earth asteroid (NEA) 2003EH1 and comet 96P/Machholz 1 was investigated under the perturbing action of major planets for the time interval of 28 thousand years. Several criteria for orbital similarity such as the Southworth and Hawkins criterion D_sh, the Drummond criterion D_D and the Jopek criterion D_H were calculated and their variations were followed during this period. It was shown that the asteroid and comet can be fragments of the same larger comet-progenitor of the Quadrantid complex. According all criteria a break-up of the parent comet possibly occurred near 9500 years ago. The near-Earth object 2003EH1 is really the dormant fragment of the parent comet’s nucleus. A conclusion was made that comet 96P/Machholz 1, Apollo group near-Earth asteroid (186256) 2003EH1 and the Quadrantids meteoroid stream form the complex of related objects.