Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The formation and evolution of the Taurid Complex of interplanetary objects is modelled on the basis of the parent being a giant comet which entered the inner solar system some time in the past 10,000-20,000 years. The orbital element distributions for the presently-observed meteor showers are discussed in terms of how these can constrain any model for the origin of the overall complex. As a baseline model we present results from the numerical integrations of fictitious meteoroids released from a comet over ten millenia, this comet having initial elements similar to those derived from a backwards integration of P/Encke. Large relative velocities at perihelion, above those feasible in conventional ejection scenarios, are necessary; we ascribe these to jetting of organics and other volatiles soon after release. Such a model gives a good first-order fit to the observed orbits, although additional processes (cometary splitting or asteroidal collisions) appear also to be necessary to explain the Taurids.</jats:p>