Meteoroid stream searching: The use of the vectorial elements

In this initial study, we propose a new distance function D-V involving heliocentric vectorial orbital elements. The function measures differences between: the orbital energies, the angular momentums vectors and the Laplace vectors. In comparison with the widely used D-SH criterion of Southworth and Hawkins, D-D criterion of Drummond and their hybrid D-H by Jopek, the new function contains one invariant with respect to the principal secular perturbation: the orbital energy. The new function proved to be useful in the classification amongst the IAU2003 meteoroids which we searched for streams by D-V function and also using D-SH and D-N-function given by Valsecchi et al. For major streams, the results agree very well. For minor, and near-ecliptical streams the results sometimes differ markedly.