Modeling the meteoroid streams of comets C/1894 G1 (Gale) and C/1936 O1 (Kaho-Kozik-Lis)

We modeled meteoroid streams of two long-period comets, C/1894 G1 (Gale) and C/1936 O1 (Kaho-Kozik-Lis), in order to reveal their possible associations with meteor showers observed in the Earth's atmosphere. For both comets, we modeled several parts of their theoretical streams, characterized by various values of evolutionary times and various strengths of the Poynting-Robertson effect. We studied the dynamical behaviour of 10 000 test particles in each model from the time of their ejection up to the present. The characteristics of the particles that moved on orbits approaching the Earth's orbit were used to predict showers which are related to the parent comet. We also mapped the impacts of possibly different cometary orbits on our predictions by creating models of the streams based on several cloned orbits. The modeling of the stream of the comet C/1894 G1 led to a prediction of a single shower related to the comet. Its existence was, however, not confirmed by real meteor data. Nevertheless, as a byproduct of our investigation, we found a new meteor shower in three databases of video meteors. In line with our suggestion, the shower was named the December.-Ursae Majorids, No. 1049 and code DIU. We do not consider it as related to the comet. yThe stream models of the C/1936 O1 also yielded a single predicted shower. Its identification was, in this case, successful and also supported by the cloned-orbit models. In two datasets, we found a shower with characteristics consistent with the predictions. After our suggestion, the shower was newly added into the IAU MDC list as the January.-Scorpiids, No. 1048, code JAS.

Automated summary

By modeling meteoroid streams of two long-period comets, potential associations with observed meteor showers in the Earth's atmosphere were revealed. While a predicted meteor shower related to comet C/1894 G1 was not confirmed by real meteor data, a new meteor shower was discovered during the investigation. Conversely, a predicted meteor shower related to comet C/1936 O1 was successfully identified and supported by cloned-orbit models, ultimately leading to its addition to the IAU MDC list.