Heat, Not Collisions, Identified as Key Factor in Comet Ejecta Disintegration

Research reveals thermal stresses, rather than collisions, cause the breakdown of comet ejecta, altering the zodiacal cloud composition.

A 45-member research team has discovered that heat, not collisions, is responsible for the disintegration of comet ejecta, altering the size of particles in the zodiacal cloud.
The zodiacal cloud, filled with comet dust, scatters sunlight to create the faint glow known as the 'zodiacal light' visible in the night sky.
Meteor showers, monitored by a global network called CAMS, show a loss of larger meteoroids over time, leading to the investigation of their demise.
The study found that the destruction of comet ejecta is proportional to the peak temperature they reach along their orbit, with thermal stresses breaking up the large meteoroids.
Observations over 13 years have led to the publication of an 'Atlas of Earth's Meteor Showers,' providing detailed information on each known meteor shower.