ROTATION OF MERCURY: THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DYNAMICS OF A RIGID ELLIPSOIDAL PLANET
Description:
The second-order nonlinear differential equation for the rotation of Mercury is shown to imply locked-in motion when the period is within the range (2T/3) [1-{lambda} cos 2{pi}t/T {+-} 2/3 (21{lambda}e/2){sup 1/2}], where e is the eccentricity and T the period of Mercury's orbit, the time t is measured from perihelion, and {lambda} = (B-A)/C measures the planet's distortion. For values near 2T/3, the instantaneous period oscillates about 2T/3 with period (21{lambda}e/2){sup -1/2}T.
Date:
January 1, 1966
Creator:
Laslett, L. Jackson & Sessler, Andrew M.
Partner:
UNT Libraries Government Documents Department