The Formation and Evolution of the Perseid Meteoroid Stream

Abstract

AbstractThe orbital evolution of two modelled ‘Perseid’ meteoroid streams is investigated using direct numerical integration techniques. We conclude that, in the absence of significant meteoroid velocity determination errors, the observed meteoroid orbital semi-major axis distribution is a direct consequence of the cometary ejection process and not due to subsequent orbital evolution. A high ejection-velocity (~ 0.6 km s-1) model stream succeeds in reproducing the observations. Conclusions are made concerning how the orbital stability of Earth-orbit-intersecting Perseid metecroids varies with initial orbital semi-major axis.