Elliptic-type motion in Fock's gravitational field

The elliptic-type motion in the gravitational field found by Fock as exact solution of Einstein's vacuum equations in the case of spherical symmetry (Solution called here Fock's gravitational field) is studied by means of a classic method based on the perturbation theory. Regarding the deviations of the orbit from a Kepleian orbit as perturbations, the first and second order variations of the Keplerian orbital elements over one nodal period as well as those of the nodal period itself are determined.     

Properties of motion in the gravitational field of a rotating bar

A qualitative study of the properties of motion (equilibrium points, regions of motion, periodic orbits) of a test particle in the gravitational field of a uniformly rotating solid bar is made. Two different models are used for the bar, a homogeneous ellipsoid and a homogeneous rectangular parallelepiped, and the dependence of the properties of motion on the specific choice of the model is investigated. It is found that stability properties, especially those of the equilibrium points on the long axis of the bar, are more pronounced in the case of the parallelepiped.     

The motion of a satellite in an axi-symmetric gravitational field

The equations for the variation of the osculating elements of a satellite moving in an axi-symmetric gravitational field are integrated to yield the complete first-order perturbations for the elements of the orbit. The expressions obtained include the effects produced by the second to eighth spherical harmonics. The orbital elements are presented in the most general form of summations by means of Hansen coefficients. Due to their general forms it is a simple matter to estimate the perturbations of any higher harmonic by simply increasing the index of summation. Finally, this paper gives the respective general expressions for the secular perturbations of the orbital elements. The formulae presented should be useful for the reductions of Earth-satellite observations and geopotential studies based on them.List of Symbols semi-major axis - C _jk ⁿ (, ) cosine functions of and - e eccentricity of the orbit - f acceleration vector of perturbing force - f sin²t - i inclination of the orbit - J _n coefficients in the potential expansion - M mean anomaly - n mean motion - p semi-latus rectum of the orbit - R, S, andW components of the perturbing acceleration - r radius-vector of satellite - r magnitude ofr - S _jk ⁿ (, ) sine functions of and - T time of perigee passage - u argument of latitude - U gravitational potential - true anomaly - V perturbing potential - G(M₊+m) (gravitational constant times the sum of the masses of Earth and satellite) - _n,k coefficients ofR component of disturbing acceleration (funtions off) - _n,k coefficients ofS andW components of disturbing acceleration (functions off) - mean anomaly at timet=0 - X ₀ ^n,m zero-order Hansen coefficients - argument of perigee - right ascension of the ascending node     

Perturbation theory for asteroid motion in the gravitational field of a migrating planet

A new perturbation method for the determination of proper elements of an asteroid in the gravitational field of a migrating planet is developed. The article is published in the original.     

Cases of a star's planar motion integrated in the gravitational field of a rotating system

The paper deals with some special cases of the existence of a local integral of motion in a two-dimensional potential field rotating with constant angular velocity. In this case the trajectories may be completely determined, which is not always possible in other cases with a local integral, in contrast to the cases with a true integral. Some cases where the trajectories can be determined analytically are trivial but there are also some new nontrivial cases.     

Newtonian analogue of force and motion of a free particle in the gravitational field of theC-metric

In the first part of the paper the Newtonian analogue of force for theC-metric has been investigated. To the first-order of approximation in the absence of acceleration of the particle generating theC-metric, one component of the force vector corresponds to the Newtonian analogue of force. In general there are relativistic correction terms due to acceleration term in theC-metric. In the second part of the paper the motion of a freely falling body has been investigated. It is found that plane orbits are not possible. Also the radial fall is not possible and in the equation of the orbit there are terms having no classical analogue. They can be interpreted as the effect of the dragging of the inertial frame produced by the rectilinear acceleration.     

Satellite motion in a non-singular gravitational potential

We study the effects of a non-singular gravitational potential on satellite orbits by deriving the corresponding time rates of change of its orbital elements. This is achieved by expanding the non-singular potential into power series up to second order. This series contains three terms, the first been the Newtonian potential and the other two, here R ₁ (first order term) and R ₂ (second order term), express deviations of the singular potential from the Newtonian. These deviations from the Newtonian potential are taken as disturbing potential terms in the Lagrange planetary equations that provide the time rates of change of the orbital elements of a satellite in a non-singular gravitational field. We split these effects into secular, low and high frequency components and we evaluate them numerically using the low Earth orbiting mission Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE). We show that the secular effect of the second-order disturbing term R ₂ on the perigee and the mean anomaly are 4″.307×10⁻⁹/a, and −2″.533×10⁻¹⁵/a, respectively. These effects are far too small and most likely cannot easily be observed with today’s technology. Numerical evaluation of the low and high frequency effects of the disturbing term R ₂ on low Earth orbiters like GRACE are very small and undetectable by current observational means.     

On the integrability cases of the equation of motion for a satellite in an axially symmetric gravitational field

The projection of an axially symmetric satellite's orbit on a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis (z=const.) is given by the second-order differential equation. $$\frac{{y''}}{{1 + y'^2 }} = \bar \Psi _y - y'\bar \Psi _{x,}$$ where the prime denotes the derivative with respect tox and \(\bar \Psi (x,y)\) is a known function. Two integrability cases have been investigated and it has been shown that for these two cases the integration can be carried out either by quadratures or reduced to a first-order differential equation. Analytical and physical properties are expressed, and it is shown that the equation can be derived from the calssical plane eikonal equation of geometric optics.     

Newtonian analogue of force and motion of a free particle in the gravitational field of Kerr-de Sitter space-time

In the first part of the paper the Newtonian analogue of force for the Kerr-de Sitter metric has been investigated. To the first-order of approximation, a component of the force vector corresponds to the Newtonian gravitational force and a cosmic force arising due to the cosmological constant A. Int the higher order of approximation, the relativistic correction terms due to rotation and the presence of A are obtained. In the second part of the paper the motion of a freely-falling body has been investigated. It is found that plane orbits are not possible. Also a radial fall is not possible and there is a rotational drag on the particle which has no Newtonian analogue.     

Equilibria in the gravitational field of a triangular body

The existence, stability and bifurcation analysis is performed for equilibria of a material point in the gravitational field of three homogeneous penetrable balls fixed in absolute frame. The radii of the balls are assumed finite. In the case when the mass distribution admits a symmetry axis, analytic expressions are written out, allowing one to investigate the properties of equilibrium positions located both on the symmetry axis and outside it. The stability of solutions is studied; domains with different instability degree are described.     

The gravitational field of a disk

This note gives the gravitational potential of the disk {(x, y, z):x ² +y ² p ² , z=0} and the gravitational field at the point (x, y, z). Formulas for a ring can be obtained as the difference of our results for two different values ofp. Results are obtained in terms of elliptic integrals and we indicate how these functions can be computed efficiently. Formulas necessary for the computation of partial derivatives are also given.This paper presents the results of one phase of research carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under Contract NAS7-100, sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.     

Propagation of light in a Maxwell-like gravitational field

We propose a coupling between the gravitational and electromagnetic fields so that we consider the electrodynamical Maxwell's equations as the basic ones and add the four-vector of gravitational potential to the differential operators occurring in it. It is shown that by means of this coupling all well-known tests of Einstein's theory of gravitation connected with the propagation of light in gravitational field can be correctly calculated.     

Induced forces in the gravitational field

In this paper the expression for the magnitude of the so-called induced force, acting on a mass particle, is deduced. The origin of this force is causally connected to the increase of the rest mass of the particle in the gravitational field.     

A note on the gravitational field of Phobos

Phobos' proximity to the Roche limit, and some of its consequences deserving attention by the Phobos' mission, are the subject of this note.     

Two-dimensional equilibrium of a neutral sheet in a gravitational field

We solve the two-dimensional MHD-equations to find the equilibrium structure of a neutral sheet having its axis parallel to the gravitational field in an atmosphere. The evolution of an initially plane sheet which is a self-consistent, non-equilibrium solution of the MHD-equations, is followed until static equilibrium of forces is obtained. The effect of field line anchoring in a cool dense layer at the bottom of the sheet is taken into account.Presently at The Auroral Observatory, Boks 953, 9001 Tromsø, Norway.