Influence of fast interstellar gas flow on the dynamics of dust grains

The orbital evolution of a dust particle under the action of a fast interstellar gas flow is investigated. The secular time derivatives of Keplerian orbital elements and the radial, transversal, and normal components of the gas flow velocity vector at the pericentre of the particle’s orbit are derived. The secular time derivatives of the semi-major axis, eccentricity, and of the radial, transversal, and normal components of the gas flow velocity vector at the pericentre of the particle’s orbit constitute a system of equations that determines the evolution of the particle’s orbit in space with respect to the gas flow velocity vector. This system of differential equations can be easily solved analytically. From the solution of the system we found the evolution of the Keplerian orbital elements in the special case when the orbital elements are determined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the gas flow velocity vector. Transformation of the Keplerian orbital elements determined for this special case into orbital elements determined with respect to an arbitrary oriented plane is presented. The orbital elements of the dust particle change periodically with a constant oscillation period or remain constant. Planar, perpendicular and stationary solutions are discussed. The applicability of this solution in the Solar System is also investigated. We consider icy particles with radii from 1 to 10 μm. The presented solution is valid for these particles in orbits with semi-major axes from 200 to 3000 AU and eccentricities smaller than 0.8, approximately. The oscillation periods for these orbits range from 10⁵ to 2 × 10⁶ years, approximately.     

Some investigations into the atmospheric drag problem

This paper calls into question the validity of the well-known formulae for the perturbations in the Keplerian elements, over one revolution of an orbit, for the motion of a drag-perturbed artificial satellite. These formulae are derived from Gauss's form of the planetary equations, by averaging over a single revolution of the orbit, and using the eccentric anomaly as the independent variable.It is shown that for light balloon-type satellites in near-circular orbits neither the eccentric anomaly nor the true longitude is a suitable choice of independent variable for the averaging procedure. Under these circumstances, it would seem that simple formulae for the variations in the elements cannot be derived from Gauss's equations.     

Stabilization by modification of the Lagrangian

In order to reduce the error growth during a numerical integration, a method of stabilization, of the differential equations of the Keplerian motion is offered. It is characterized by the use of the eccentric anomaly as independent variable in such a way that the time transformation is given by a generalized Lagrange formalism. The control terms in the equations of motion obtained by this modified Lagrangian give immediately a completely Lyapunov-stable set of differential equations. In contrast to other publications, here the equation of time integration is modified by a control term which leads to an integral which defined the time element for the perturbed Keplerian motion.This paper was supported by the National Research Council and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and also by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. It was presented at the Flight Mechanics/Estimation Theory Symposium, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., April 15–16, 1975.     

Secular effects in the orbits of the Galilean satellites

This paper presents the results of an investigation into the secular behavior of the orbits of the Galilean satellites of Jupiter. Kamel's perturbation method is used to remove all the explicitly periodic variables from the differential equations that describe the long period behavior of the orbits to third order in the masses, and the resulting differential equations for the secular behavior are then solved. Several numerical examples are given to illustrate the sensitivity of the solution to variations in the masses of the satellites.     

Relative motion of satellites exploiting the super-integrability of Kepler’s problem

This paper builds upon the work of Palmer and Imre exploring the relative motion of satellites on neighbouring Keplerian orbits. We make use of a general geometrical setting from Hamiltonian systems theory to obtain analytical solutions of the variational Kepler equations in an Earth centred inertial coordinate frame in terms of the relevant conserved quantities: relative energy, relative angular momentum and the relative eccentricity vector. The paper extends the work on relative satellite motion by providing solutions about any elliptic, parabolic or hyperbolic reference trajectory, including the zero angular momentum case. The geometrical framework assists the design of complex formation flying trajectories. This is demonstrated by the construction of a tetrahedral formation, described through the relevant conserved quantities, for which the satellites are on highly eccentric orbits around the Sun to visit the Kuiper belt.     

Long-Period Variations of the Eccentricity Vector Valid also for Near Circular Orbits around a Non-Spherical Body

This paper studies the long period variations of the eccentricity vector of the orbit of an artificial satellite, under the influence of the gravity field of a central body. We use modified orbital elements which are non-singular at zero eccentricity. We expand the long periodic part of the corresponding Lagrange equations as power series of the eccentricity. The coefficients characterizing the differential system depend on the zonal coefficients of the geopotential, and on initial semi-major axis, inclination, and eccentricity. The differential equations for the components of the eccentricity vector are then integrated analytically, with a definition of the period of the perigee based on the notion of “free eccentricity”, and which is also valid for circular orbits. The analytical solution is compared to a numerical integration. This study is a generalization of (Cook, Planet. Space Sci., 14, 1966): first, the coefficients involved in the differential equations depend on all zonal coefficients (and not only on the very first ones); second, our method applies to nearly circular orbits as well as to not too eccentric orbits. Except for the critical inclination, our solution is valid for all kinds of long period motions of the perigee, i.e., circulations or librations around an equilibrium point.     

Stabilization of finite difference methods of numerical integration

To examine the stabilizing effects of a modification of the classical finite difference methods of numerical integration the differential equations of perturbed Keplerian motion are integrated for two examples: an artificial satellite of the Earth, and Hill's variation orbit. The modified methods remove much of the instability that is inherent to the classical methods.Presented at the Conference on Celestial Mechanics.     

An analytical treatment of resonance effects on satellite orbits

A first order analytical approximation of the tesseral harmonic resonance perturbations of the Keplerian elements is presented, and the mean elements (the Keplerian elements with the long period portions averaged out) will also be given in closed form. Finally the results of a numerical test, which compares the analytical solution against a numerical integration of the Lagrange equations of motion, will be summarized.This work was sponsored with the support of the Department of the Air Force under contract F19628-85-C-0002.The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Government.     

Perturbations of a spheroidal satellite due to direct solar radiation pressure

The orbital accelerations of certain balloon satellites exhibit marked oscillations caused by solar radiation impinging on the surface of the satellites, which, once spherical, have assumed a spheroidal shape producing a component of force at right-angles to the Sun-satellite direction. Given the characteristics and orientation of the satellite, the equations of force are determined by the formulae of Lucas. Otherwise the phase-angle and magnitude of the right-angle force are determined by trial and error, or best-fit techniques. Using a variation of the approach developed by Aksnes, a semi-analytical algorithm is presented for evaluating the perturbations of the Keplerian elements by direct solar radiation pressure on a spheroidal satellite. The perturbations are obtained by summing over the sunlit part of each orbit and allow for a linear variation in the phase-angle. The algorithm is used to determine the orbital accelerations of 1963-30D due to direct solar radiation pressure, and these results are compared to the observed values over two separate periods of the satellite's lifetime.     

Approximate Analytical Theory of Satellite Orbit Prediction Presented in Spherical Coordinates Frame

A comparative review of analytic theories for the motion of Earth satellites in quasi-circular orbits written in the spherical coordinate frame is presented. The theory of motion is developed for satellites in quasi-circular and quasi-equatorial orbits subjected to geopotential, luni-solar and solar radiation pressure force perturbations. The intermediate orbit is Keplerian and the equations of motion are solved by the Lyapunov–Poincaré small parameter method. Both resonant and non-resonant cases are considered. The results can be useful for the development of a complete theory of weakly eccentric orbits.     

The first-order,non-singular Keplerian differential state transition matrix

The Keplerian differential state transition matrix (KDSTM) is a fundamental tool in investigations of the sensitivity of orbital evolution to changes in initial conditions, in perturbation analysis, as well as in targeting and rendezvous operations. Several different forms of the KDSTM are available in the literature. They differ in the choice of state space variables, as well as in derivation methods. Here, a new method for constructing the KDSTM is presented, which is based on the well-known theorem on the differentiability of the solution of a system of ordinary differential equations with respect to initial conditions. A peculiarity of the method is that it allows the direct construction of analytical expressions for both the direct and the inverse fundamental matrices needed to form the KDSTM. The KDSTM is first built in the inertial reference frame and then transformed to the orbital, or Hill reference frame. The resulting expressions contain the full set of Keplerian elements and are hence readily extensible to perturbed Keplerian reference motion. The results are compared with some of the best known KDSTM’s available in the literature, with which they are proven to be fully equivalent, despite their sometimes dramatically different appearance.     

Exact solution to the relative orbital motion in eccentric orbits

This paper studies the relative orbital motion between arbitrary Keplerian trajectories. A closed-form vectorial solution to the nonlinear initial value problem that models this type of motion with respect to a noninertial reference frame is offered. Without imposing any particular conditions on the leader or the deputy satellites trajectories, exact expressions for the relative law of motion and relative velocity are obtained in a closed form. This solution allows the parameterization of the relative motion manifold and offers new methods to study its geometrical and topological properties. The result presented in this paper opens the way to obtain new classes of approximate solutions to the equations of relative motion with time, an eccentric or true anomaly as independent variables. Published in Russian in Solar System Research, 2009, Vol. 43, No. 1, pp. 44–55. The text was submitted by the autors in English.     

Normal forms for the epicyclic approximations of the perturbed Kepler problem

We compute the normal forms for the Hamiltonian leading to the epicyclic approximations of the (perturbed) Kepler problem in the plane. The Hamiltonian setting corresponds to the dynamics in the Hill synodic system where, by means of the tidal expansion of the potential, the equations of motion take the form of perturbed harmonic oscillators in a rotating frame. In the unperturbed, purely Keplerian case, the post-epicyclic solutions produced with the normal form coincide with those obtained from the expansion of the solution of the Kepler equation. In all cases where the perturbed problem can be cast in autonomous form, the solution is easily obtained as a perturbation series. The generalization to the spatial problem and/or the non-autonomous case is straightforward.     

Linearization of dynamical systems using integrals of the motion

A method is presented which transforms certain non-linear differential equations of dynamics into linear equations by introducing a new independent variable and by utilizing the integrals of motion. As examples of special interest the linearizations of unperturbed and perturbed Keplerian motions are discussed.     

Theory of the motion of an artificial Earth satellite

An improved analytical solution is obtained for the motion of an artificial Earth satellite under the combined influences of gravity and atmospheric drag. The gravitational model includes zonal harmonics throughJ ₄, and the atmospheric model assumes a nonrotating spherical power density function. The differential equations are developed through second order under the assumption that the second zonal harmonic and the drag coefficient are both first-order terms, while the remaining zonal harmonics are of second order.Canonical transformations and the method of averaging are used to obtain transformations of variables which significantly simplify the transformed differential equations. A solution for these transformed equations is found; and this solution, in conjunction with the transformations cited above, gives equations for computing the six osculating orbital elements which describe the orbital motion of the satellite. The solution is valid for all eccentricities greater than 0 and less than 0.1 and all inclinations not near 0^o or the critical inclination. Approximately ninety percent of the satellites currently in orbit satisfy all these restrictions.     

On the tidal effects in the motion of artificial satellites

The general perturbations in the elliptic and vectorial elements of a satellite as caused by the tidal deformations of the non-spherical Earth are developed into trigonometric series in the standard ecliptical arguments of Hill-Brown lunar theory and in the equatorinal elements ω and Ω of the satellite. The integration of the differential equations for variation of elements of the satellite in this theory is easy because all arguments are linear or nearly linear in time. The trigonometrical expansion permits a judgment about the relative significance of the amplitudes and periods of different tidal ‘waves’ over a long period of time. Graphs are presented of the tidal perturbations in the elliptic elements of the BE-C satellite which illustrate long term periodic behavior. The tidal effects are clearly noticeable in the observations and their comparison with the theory permits improvement of the ‘global’ Love numbers for the Earth.     

About Tidal Evolution of Quasi-Periodic Orbits of Satellites

Tidal interactions between Planet and its satellites are known to be the main phenomena, which are determining the orbital evolution of the satellites. The modern ansatz in the theory of tidal dissipation in Saturn was developed previously by the international team of scientists from various countries in the field of celestial mechanics. Our applying to the theory of tidal dissipation concerns the investigating of the system of ODE-equations (ordinary differential equations) that govern the orbital evolution of the satellites; such an extremely non-linear system of 2 ordinary differential equations describes the mutual internal dynamics for the eccentricity of the orbit along with involving the semi-major axis of the proper satellite into such a monstrous equations. In our derivation, we have presented the elegant analytical solutions to the system above; so, the motivation of our ansatz is to transform the previously presented system of equations to the convenient form, in which the minimum of numerical calculations are required to obtain the final solutions. Preferably, it should be the analytical solutions; we have presented the solution as a set of quasi-periodic cycles via re-inversing of the proper ultra-elliptical integral. It means a quasi-periodic character of the evolution of the eccentricity, of the semi-major axis for the satellite orbit as well as of the quasi-periodic character of the tidal dissipation in the Planet.     

Analytical Proper Elements for the Hilda Asteroids I: Construction of a Formal Solution

In this paper, we present the mathematical basis for the calculation of proper elements for asteroids in 3:2 mean-motion resonance with Jupiter from their osculating Keplerian elements. The method is based on a new resonant Lie-series perturbation theory (Ferraz-Mello, 1997, 2002), which allows the construction of formal solutions in cases where resonant and long-period angles appear simultaneously. For the disturbing function, we used the Beaugé’s expansion (Beaugé, 1996), adapted to include short period terms. In this paper, the theory is restricted to the planar case and only the perturbations due to Jupiter are considered.     

Canonical elements and Keplerian-like solutions for intermediary orbits of satellites of an oblate planet

Within the framework of the Canonical Formalism in the extended phase space,a general Hamiltonian is investigated that covers a wide class of radial intermediaries accounting for themajor secular effects due to a planet's oblateness perturbations.An analytical, closed-form solution for this generic Hamiltonian is developed in terms of elementary functions via the corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi equation. The analytical solution so obtained can be contemplated according to a simple geometrical and dynamical interpretation in Keplerian language by means of the usual relations characterizing elliptic elements along ahypothetic Keplerian motion.Appropriate choices for the terms appearing in the proposed Hamiltonian lead to recovering the analogues of some well-known, classical radial intermediaries (those introduced by Deprit and the one built by Alfriend and Coffey), but also certain new ones derived by Ferrándiz for the Main Problem in the Theory of Artificial Satellites of the Earth. In any case, the results are also applicable to problems dealing with orbital motion of other planetary satellites.The generality of this pattern leads to asystematic obtaining of solutions to the considered intermediaries: special choices of the Hamiltonian yield the correspondinganalytical solution to the respective intermediary problem.     

Propagation of local errors in the solutions of the differential equations for orbital elements

The propagation of errors in the solutions of the differential equations for the orbital elements of perturbed two-body motion is investigated. It is shown that the error in the time-element grows linearly for differential equations for orbital elements when only perturbations are present on the right-hand side, cubically for formulations which have a two-body term on the right-hand side, and linearly for formulations based upon extended phase space Hamiltonians.