The evolution of the Geminid meteor stream

Title:              The evolution of the orbit of the Geminid meteor
                    stream
Authors:            FOX, K.; WILLIAMS, I. P.; HUGHES, D. W.
Affiliation:        AB(Queen Mary College, London, England)
                    AC(Sheffield, University, Sheffield, England)
Journal:            Royal Astronomical Society, Monthly Notices, vol.
                    200, July 1982, p. 313-324.  Research supported by
                    the Science and Engineering Research Council.
Publication Date:   07/1982
Origin:             STI
Category:           Astronomy
NASA/STI Keywords:  GEMINID METEOROIDS, GRAVITATIONAL EFFECTS, ORBIT
                    CALCULATION, ORBIT PERTURBATION, PLANETARY
                    GRAVITATION, APHELIONS, METEOROID SHOWERS, ORBITAL
                    ELEMENTS, ORBITAL MECHANICS, PERIHELIONS, PERIODIC
                    VARIATIONS, TIME DEPENDENCE
Bibliographic Code: 1982MNRAS.200..313F

Abstract

The Geminids were first reliably recorded in 1862. Observations of this stream over the last 118 years indicate that the ascending node is stationary at an Omega value of 261.38 + or - 0.11. A theoretical analysis of the effect of planetary induced gravitational perturbation on the stream results in a predicted decrease in the ascending node by 1.57 deg per century. The general rule that streams with inclinations greater than 90 deg have positive d Omega/dt values whereas streams with inclinations less than 90 deg have negative d Omega/dt is disobeyed by the Geminids. Various possible explanations for this discrepancy are discussed and one of these turns out to be very satisfactory.

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