Abstract: The particular details of meteor orbits with D criterion similarity to Near Earth Objects 1999 LT1, 2010 MU111, (507716) = 2013 UP8, 2015 RR150 and 2020 BZ12 are presented.

 

1 Introduction

A list of known Near Earth Objects (NEOs) was obtained from the Minor Planet Center and the 618 objects with inclinations of 40 degrees or greater were filtered out for assessment via the Jopek (1993) variation of the Southworth and Hawkins (1963) D criterion against publicly available meteor orbits from various sources utilizing a threshold value of 0.10.  The meteor orbits are from a database of over a million compiled from the publicly available datasets of the SonatoCo Network (e.g. SonotaCo, 2009), CAMS (Jenniskens et al., 2018) and EDMOND (e.g. Kornoš et al., 2014) surveys.

Resultant orbits were then assessed in the cases where any particular NEO had ten or more meteor orbits matching with D criteria less than the threshold value.  Amongst the many candidate associations many had few meteors involved, barely sufficient to suggest anything more than happenstance association.  A handful had over a dozen meteors often from asteroids with Jupiter Comet Family like orbits according to their Tisserand Parameters relative to Jupiter as well as inclinations more appropriate for comets, although no cometary activity had ever been detected for them.  One very recently discovered object has an orbit more like that of a long period comet and a high inclination that makes the orbit retrograde and despite only presenting against 8 meteor orbits is potentially of interest.

One, 2018 LF5, is dealt with separately on MeteorNews (Greaves, 2020).  The others are the Amor 1999 LT1, the Apollo 2010 MU111, the numbered Apollo (507716) formerly known as 2013 UP8, the Amor 2015 RR150 and the long period comet-like orbit possessing 2020 BZ12.

The associated meteors were assessed against the IAU MDC list ((Jopek and Kanuchova, 2017; Neslušan et al., 2014) of all showers to check if they matched any known showers.

 

2 Results

1999 LT1

This object is listed as an Amor asteroid with a 2-opposition orbit from 64 observations and a total observational arc length of 1666 days (MPO 55865) at the time of writing.  It’s Tisserand Parameter with respect to Jupiter, TJ, is 2.6.  Table 1 carries the details for 19 meteor orbits matched to D < 0.10, with 5 of those having D < 0.8.  Table 1 also includes the mean and median values for the 19 as well as the orbital particulars for A/1999 LT1 from the Minor Planet Center.

Examination of the IAU MDC list of showers revealed no known shower fitting the results and the nearest bright star is ε Draconis, already used for the epsilon Draconids and the September epsilon Draconids.  If a valid shower the name May epsilon Draconids is therefore tentatively suggested with the mnemonic code MED, neither of which appear to exist in the list at the time of writing.

 

2010 MU111

This object is listed as an Apollo asteroid with a 2-opposition orbit from only 32 observations and a total observational arc length of 1582 days (MPO 460898) at the time of writing.  It’s Tisserand Parameter with respect to Jupiter TJ, is 3.0.  Table 2 carries the details for 12 meteor orbits all matched to D < 0.09 with 7 of them having D < 0.08.  Table 2 also includes the mean and median values for the 12 as well as the orbital particulars for A/2010 MU111 from the Minor Planet Center.

Examination of the IAU MDC list of showers revealed no known shower fitting the results and the brightest nearby star is 69 Draconis leading to the suggestion of the name 69 Draconids with mnemonic code SND.

 

(507716) = 2013 UP8

This PANSTARRS discovered numbered object is listed as an Apollo asteroid with a 5-opposition orbit from 118 observations and a total observational arc length of 1505 days (MPO 434870) at the time of writing.  It’s Tisserand Parameter with respect to Jupiter TJ, is 2.8.  It is also classed as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA).  Table 3 carries the details for 15 meteor orbits matched to D < 0.10 with 8 of them having D < 0.08.  Table 3 also includes the mean and median values for the 15 as well as the orbital particulars for (507716) from the Minor Planet Center.

Examination of the IAU MDC list of showers revealed no known shower fitting the results and the brightest nearby star is 45 Draconis leading to the suggestion of 45 Draconids with mnemonic code FFD.

 

Table 1 – The identifier, D criterion value relative to A/1999 LT1, radiant position as Right Ascension and Declination in degrees, Solar Longitude λʘ in degrees, Geocentric Velocity vg in kms-1, perihelion distance q in Astronomical Units, eccentricity e, inclination i in degrees, Argument of Perihelion ω in degrees and Ascending Node Ω in degrees are given for each associated meteor orbit followed by their mean and median value and finally the orbital details of the asteroid.

ID D R.A. Dec. λʘ vg q e i ω Ω
20190530_002421 0.049 296.5696 72.046 67.7215 25.7 0.9859 0.6298 42.321 158.325 67.722
CAMS188716 0.067 298.87 70.94 64.863 27.2 0.992 0.6693 44.81 161.46 64.857
ED20160525_204839 0.067 290.6732 71.9113 64.8305 25.2 0.9912 0.599 41.982 160.484 64.83
20180525_021906 0.072 296.5613 69.2908 63.2411 25.5 0.9939 0.6032 42.547 161.909 63.241
20140601_014519 0.080 301.3887 74.678 69.9599 24.7 0.9782 0.6268 40.2 155.317 69.96
20160527_211318 0.083 287.692 69.1166 66.4065 26.5 1.0003 0.6184 44.285 165.112 66.407
CAMS188593 0.087 295.88 75.41 63.9979 24.2 0.9868 0.6374 39.36 159.02 63.993
20190524_201937 0.088 290.2266 73.3848 62.7575 25 0.986 0.6063 41.253 158.502 62.758
CAMS60880 0.089 302.94 69.79 62.3837 27.3 0.9871 0.6401 45.5 159.29 62.379
ED20150602_222632 0.090 299.1996 73.8487 71.8569 25.3 0.98 0.5941 42.102 155.445 71.857
CAMS187944 0.091 294.33 70.17 60.1432 25.9 0.996 0.6304 42.94 163.49 60.137
20190527_010414 0.092 295.4971 70.4791 64.8685 24.6 0.9908 0.571 41.087 160.001 64.869
CAMS61352 0.093 307.86 77.9 68.1759 24.9 0.971 0.659 39.92 153.38 68.173
CAMS188411 0.095 307.02 70.22 63.7675 27.8 0.9807 0.6472 46.15 156.82 63.759
CAMS117211 0.096 296.68 67.95 61.2209 27 0.9975 0.6113 45.36 164.03 61.212
CAMS261002 0.098 298.82 67.59 62.7285 28 0.9966 0.6359 46.97 163.59 62.726
ED20140530_004838 0.099 306.0914 69.6913 68.3634 27.1 0.9857 0.5732 46.041 157.543 68.364
ED20140525_232754 0.099 300.715 72.1303 64.469 24.8 0.9867 0.5653 41.508 158.167 64.469
20180521_215101 0.099 289.2593 67.9863 60.178 26.5 0.9983 0.6115 44.515 164.58 60.178
Mean orbit 297.7 71.3 64.8386 25.9 0.9887 0.6173 43.097 159.814 64.836
Median orbit 296.7 70.5 64.469 25.7 0.9871 0.6184 42.547 159.29 64.469
1999 LT1 1.0797 0.6406 43 158.658 66.942

 

Table 2 – The identifier, D criterion value relative to A/2010 MU111, radiant position as Right Ascension and Declination in degrees, Solar Longitude λʘ in degrees, Geocentric Velocity vg in kms-1, perihelion distance q in Astronomical Units, eccentricity e, inclination i in degrees, Argument of Perihelion ω in degrees and Ascending Node Ω in degrees are given for each associated meteor orbit followed by their mean and median value and finally the orbital details of the asteroid.

ID D R.A. Dec. λʘ vg q e i ω Ω
CAMS119201 0.046 293.55 76.87 81.3434 24.7 0.9879 0.5975 40.9 158 81.336
CAMS262561 0.052 306.07 77.63 82.6673 26 0.9747 0.6107 43.06 153.32 82.66
CAMS323336 0.063 293.5 79.13 79.6551 23.7 0.9807 0.5949 38.85 155.29 79.651
CAMS366538 0.067 294.48 76.22 80.8635 26.1 0.9892 0.6559 42.79 159.2 80.86
CAMS119731 0.071 296.82 78.02 84.3372 25.8 0.9825 0.6393 42.42 156.34 84.331
CAMS323310 0.073 293.16 74.19 79.5454 26.1 0.9958 0.6384 43.21 161.91 79.539
ED060607MLA0042 0.074 292.4755 75.9827 76.0877 24.4 0.9887 0.6474 39.613 159.143 76.088
CAMS263009 0.080 305.24 79.4 85.6653 25 0.9705 0.5763 41.49 151.35 85.661
ED20150612_200334 0.081 292.7714 80.7285 81.3285 25.1 0.9655 0.6611 40.216 151.187 81.329
CAMS262293 0.082 281.43 75.87 80.013 23.9 0.9977 0.6152 39.13 162.63 80.008
CAMS119401 0.088 296.74 73.78 82.3868 26 0.9951 0.5877 43.77 160.96 82.38
20150608_000204 0.089 293.0258 71.4728 76.347 24.6 0.9945 0.5453 41.636 160.609 76.347
Mean orbit 294.9 76.6 80.8534 25.1 0.9852 0.6141 41.424 157.495 80.849
Median orbit 293.5 76.5 81.096 25 0.9883 0.613 41.563 158.572 81.094
2010 MU111 0.9236 0.6136 41.556 157.07 80.028

 

 

Table 3 – The identifier, D criterion value relative to (507716) = A/2013 UP8, radiant position as Right Ascension and Declination in degrees, Solar Longitude λʘ in degrees, Geocentric Velocity vg in kms-1, perihelion distance q in Astronomical Units, eccentricity e, inclination i in degrees, Argument of Perihelion ω in degrees and Ascending Node Ω in degrees are given for each associated meteor orbit followed by their mean and median value and finally the orbital details of the asteroid.

ID D R.A. Dec. λʘ vg q e i ω Ω
ED20140515_224742 0.029 277.5527 58.6422 54.8199 27.9 1.0087 0.6257 46.985 186.211 54.82
CAMS186887 0.037 274.71 57.37 53.3504 27.7 1.0053 0.6206 46.57 189.54 53.345
ED20130516_223157 0.049 274.9789 58.0514 56.0194 28.1 1.0075 0.6572 46.951 187.87 56.02
20180515_000427 0.054 272.6532 55.7486 53.5217 27.3 1.003 0.6019 46.106 191.601 53.522
20130517_235736 0.070 282.2388 55.1561 56.6789 29.7 1.0083 0.592 51.107 187.375 56.679
CAMS378672 0.071 273.18 54.9 51.6756 27.9 0.9987 0.5965 47.18 194.21 51.668
ED20120512_010417 0.075 274.4992 54.6666 51.5465 27.7 1.0003 0.5761 47.13 193.299 51.546
ED20140520_212501 0.079 282.7635 61.3374 59.5795 27.4 1.012 0.5997 46.424 180.289 59.58
ED20110518_004746 0.081 278.5779 58.4309 56.6116 26.5 1.0092 0.5547 45.257 186.246 56.612
ED20120510_231813 0.082 270.1031 54.4325 50.5097 28.1 0.9964 0.6327 47.058 195.139 50.51
ED20150517_233258 0.085 273.1841 57.654 56.5318 26.2 1.006 0.58 44.16 189.73 56.532
CAMS260770 0.090 271.61 55.17 55.0175 27.8 0.9975 0.6337 46.35 195.13 55.012
CAMS187374 0.092 279.45 54.07 56.2314 30.1 1.0015 0.623 51.18 192.88 56.224
20190512_213343 0.093 268.5764 58.2551 51.251 27.9 1.0056 0.686 46.026 188.539 51.251
ED20150510_013122 0.095 276.0887 54.7191 48.8887 29.6 1.0018 0.6418 49.914 191.38 48.889
Mean orbit 275.3 56.6 54.1489 28 1.0041 0.6148 47.226 189.963 54.147
Median orbit 274.7 55.7 54.8199 27.9 1.0053 0.6206 46.951 189.73 54.82
(507716) = 2013 UP8 0.9712 0.6176 47.775 187.331 55.187

 

 

 

Table 4 – The identifier, D criterion value relative to A/2015 RR150, radiant position as Right Ascension and Declination in degrees, Solar Longitude λʘ in degrees, Geocentric Velocity vg in kms-1, perihelion distance q in Astronomical Units, eccentricity e, inclination i in degrees, Argument of Perihelion ω in degrees and Ascending Node Ω in degrees are given for each associated meteor orbit followed by their mean and median value and finally the orbital details of the asteroid.

ID D R.A. Dec. λʘ vg q e i ω Ω
CAMS82383 0.044 247.89 74.57 172.6375 25.8 0.9978 0.4999 44.28 167.61 172.627
20070920_200856 0.051 257.4728 72.3115 177.0159 24.6 0.9986 0.485 42.156 169.217 177.016
ED20140916_030204 0.057 256.8135 71.6164 172.9829 24.5 1.0028 0.5306 41.449 172.892 172.983
ED20150921_211445 0.065 250.7663 71.1783 178.3557 24.6 0.9927 0.5345 41.322 165.432 178.355
20190918_213438 0.075 260.1872 74.4802 175.0426 26.4 0.9999 0.539 45.098 170.293 175.043
CAMS285290 0.077 256.07 72.76 170.8995 25.5 1.0028 0.5569 43.17 172.18 170.889
CAMS337741 0.079 247.73 68.03 176.4151 22.7 0.9957 0.5167 38.1 166.99 176.4
CAMS23764 0.091 257.42 72.1 171.8127 22.7 1.0033 0.4348 39.29 172.67 171.801
CAMS137830 0.091 259.16 73.86 172.3876 26.2 1.0038 0.5558 44.57 174.19 172.378
ED20160912_231210 0.093 269.5086 76.5899 170.2957 26.4 1.0051 0.4903 45.914 175.306 170.295
CAMS82463 0.095 250.9 72.71 172.903 26.3 0.9996 0.5842 44.1 169.73 172.894
CAMS214139 0.096 257.63 72.72 174.1129 25.9 1.003 0.5682 43.69 173.7 174.104
Mean orbit 256.0 72.7 173.7384 25.1 1.0004 0.5247 42.762 170.851 173.732
Median orbit 256.8 72.7 172.9829 25.5 1.0004 0.5306 43.17 170.851 172.983
2015 RR150 1.0234 0.498 42.146 167.287 174.23

 

 

 

 

Table 5 – The identifier, D criterion value relative to A/2020 BZ12, radiant position as Right Ascension and Declination in degrees, Solar Longitude λʘ in degrees, Geocentric Velocity vg in kms-1, perihelion distance q in Astronomical Units, eccentricity e, inclination i in degrees, Argument of Perihelion ω in degrees and Ascending Node Ω in degrees are given for each associated meteor orbit followed by their mean and median value and finally the orbital details of the asteroid.

ID D R.A. Dec. λʘ vg q e i ω Ω
20160116_030027 0.087 181.9745 –7.9802 294.7996 68.6 0.6767 0.9537 166.297 68.851 114.8
20120126_040025 0.089 190.4267 –10.7927 305.0414 67.3 0.6191 0.9023 167.126 77.44 125.041
ED20150119_032136 0.089 184.1106 –10.0283 298.5057 68.3 0.6562 0.9557 163.764 71.428 118.505
20100117_050453 0.093 184.5748 –7.7481 296.45 68.5 0.6805 0.9297 168.675 68.888 116.45
20170126_023227 0.095 189.8968 –11.7372 305.7104 67 0.6063 0.9089 164.895 78.868 125.711
20100118_031621 0.099 183.9011 –9.0527 297.3918 69 0.6744 0.9855 165.831 68.51 117.392
CAMS4076 0.100 190.59 –10.78 306.0152 68 0.616 0.955 168.21 76.5 126.012
20160117_015003 0.100 182.0922 –7.9284 295.7683 68.9 0.6648 0.9846 166.518 69.717 115.769
Mean orbit 185.9 –9.5 299.9603 68.2 0.6493 0.9469 166.414 72.525 119.96
Median orbit 184.3 –9.5 297.9488 68.4 0.6605 0.9543 166.407 70.572 117.949
2020 BZ12 0.6032 0.9217 165.541 57.613 105.723

 

 

2015 RR150

This object is listed as an Amor asteroid with a 2-opposition orbit from only 56 observations and a total observational arc length of 1042 days (MPO 457018) at the time of writing.  It’s Tisserand Parameter with respect to Jupiter TJ, is 3.4.  It is also classed as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA).  Table 4 carries the details for 12 meteor orbits matched to D < 0.10 with 7 of them having D < 0.08.  Table 4 also includes the mean and median values for the 12 as well as the orbital particulars for A/2015 RR150 from the Minor Planet Center.

Examination of the IAU MDC list of showers revealed no known shower fitting the results and the brightest nearby star is ψ1 Draconis, however there is already a psi Draconids shower (POD#754).  As the shower occurs in September the name September psi1 Draconids is tentatively suggested as the mnemonic code of SPD doesn’t appear to exist at this time.

 

2020 BZ12

This object is listed as an Apollo asteroid with a 1-opposition orbit from only 135 observations but with a total observational arc length of only 56 days (MPEC 2020-E49) yet its highly retrograde orbit and semimajor axis with an aphelion between the orbits of Saturn and Uranus (14.8 A.U.) are more suggestive of a long period comet albeit of relatively short orbital period (21.4 years).  At the time of writing (27th April 2020) it is just at perihelion and behind the Sun from the Earth’s perspective, with the last MPC observation being for mid-March.  If picked up again after its passage behind the Sun when it will again approach the Earth from a few weeks onwards the additional observations and extension of the orbital arc may well modify the derived orbit, and possibly even show some hint of cometary activity following perihelion if it shows any such at all.  Table 5 carries the details for 8 meteor orbits matched to D < 0.10 with none of them having D < 0.08.  Table 5 also includes the mean and median values for the 8 as well as the orbital particulars for A/2020 BZ12 from the Minor Planet Center.

Examination of the IAU MDC list of showers revealed no known shower fitting the results and the brightest nearby star is 21 Virginis, however there has been a shower in the IAU MDC bearing that name in and a mnemonic code in the past (now removed) so such a classification would be problematic.  More importantly as the orbit of A/2020 BZ12 is still not necessarily well defined and with the nodes not crossing near Earth’s orbit, plus the number of meteor orbits being small in tandem with their D criteria all clustered in the range 0.087 to 0.100, this is a weak candidate for meteor asteroid association and no shower is going to be nominated here based on this current limited data.

Nevertheless, it is included here due to its recent journey through the inner Solar System in tandem with its current perihelion passage having the potential to lead to meteor enhancement in late January 2021 around Solar Longitude 300 degrees.  On the other hand, with the relevant nodal point being at the pre-perihelion arc of the orbit and not being that near to Earth’s orbit even if any fresh meteoroids are liberated during the current perihelion passage, they may take years to evolve into orbits likely to intersect the Earth itself.

 

3 Discussion

Given that these objects are not only observationally but, in some cases, intrinsically faint little is known of their nature there being no spectral reflectance or visual albedo data to speak of.  Equally there are no data to distinguish between them being either comets or asteroids.  Jupiter Family Comets and Near-Earth Objects may on the whole derive from different source populations yet their orbits have each evolved as a consequence of multiple interactions with Jupiter, which would also lead to some commonality in Jovian Tisserand Parameters.  In recent times, as dramatically demonstrated by (101955) Bennu, asteroids have also been shown to be potential sources of dust ejection and in the aforementioned case of (101955) Bennu the YORP effect upon the asteroid in tandem with its unconsolidated nature is a good candidate for the mechanism of dust ejection.

Neither do the orbital characteristics present any particular evidence to distinguish between comet and asteroid for it is not impossible for the Kozai cycle to pump up planar orbits into higher inclinations during their orbital evolution due to Jupiter’s influence.  Certainly, the higher inclination asteroid orbits are in the minority, the higher the inclination the more so.

Four of these showers, five if the one associated with 2018 LF5 is included, have radiants clustered around the North Ecliptic Pole.  There appears to be no great significance to this as in common with many NEOs all these objects have orbits with aphelia near Jupiter’s orbit and perihelia near Earth’s.  They also have similar inclinations of just over 40 degrees, so despite having a range of Ascending Nodes (and correspondingly Solar Longitudes) and Arguments of Perihelia and the orbits being quite different the orbits do have similarity of shape.  Not being an orbital dynamicist the author assumes that this is simply a geometric effect and that the showers are no more associated with each other than the asteroids are.

Over the years many meteor showers have been predicted for asteroids with next to no confirmation for any.  However over the past decade or so various professional sky surveys have led to an explosion in both known asteroids and especially known Near Earth Objects down to fainter and fainter magnitudes and sometimes smaller and smaller sizes, increasing the number of candidates, whilst over a similar time period the availability of meteor orbits has increased far more impressively.  Nevertheless, despite the explosion in data it seems candidate associations are still few and far between.

In these current predictions two of the objects are classed as Potentially Hazardous Asteroids, that is objects having the potential of Earth impact.  If the predicted meteor shower associations are valid then in some ways they already have!

 

Acknowledgments

The online data services for the Minor Planet Center at the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics were utilized for obtaining the asteroid orbit details.

 

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