CAOSP abstracts, Volume: 23, year: 1993
- Author(s): SVOREN, J.; NESLUSAN, L.; PORUBCAN, V.
- Journal: Contributions of the Astronomical Observatory Skalnate Pleso,
vol. 23, p. 23-44.
- Date: 07/1993
- Title: Applicability of meteor radiant determination methods depending on orbit type. I. High-eccentric orbits
- Keyword(s): COMETS, METEOR STREAMS
- Pages: 23 -- 44
Abstract:
It is evident that there is no uniform method of calculating meteor radiants
which would yield reliable results for all types of cometary orbits. In the
present paper an analysis of this problem is presented, together with
recommended methods for various types of orbits. Some additional methods
resulting from mathematical modelling are presented and discussed together
with Porter's, Steel-Baggaley's and Hasegawa's methods. In order to be able to
compare how suitable the application of the individual radiant determination
methods is, it is necessary to determine the accuracy with which they
approximate real meteor orbits. To verify the accuracy with which the orbit of
a meteoroid with at least one node at 1 AU fits the original orbit of the
parent body, we applied the Southworth-Hawkins D-criterion (Southworth, R.B.,
Hawkins, G.S.: 1963, Smithson. Contr. Astrophys 7, 261). D<=0.1 indicates a
very good fit of orbits, 0.1<D<=0.2 is considered to be a good fit of orbits,
and D>0.2 the fit is rather poor and the change of orbit unrealistic.
The optimal methods with the smallest values of D for given types of orbits are
shown in two series of six plots. The new method of rotation around the line of
apsides we propose is very appropriate in the region of small inclinations.
There is no doubt that Hasegawa's omega-adjustment method (Hasegawa, I.: 1990,
Publ. Astron. Soc. Japan 42, 175) has the widest application. A comparison of
the theoretical radiants with the observed radiants of seven known meteor
showers is also presented.
Full text version of this article in
PDF.
