GENERATION OF PLANETARY EPHEMERIDES ON AN ELECTRONIC COMPUTER
Abstract
A computer program, called the Planetary Ephemeris Program (PEP), is being written at Lincoln Laboratory. The purpose of the program is to improve planetary and lunar ephemerides using the results of radar and optical observations. In this report, the author derives the differential equations that are numerically integrated in PEP to determine as functions of time the positions and velocities of the planets, of the Earth-Moon barycenter and of the Moon, and the partial derivatives of these positions and velocities with respect to initial conditions, masses and other parameters. Newtonian theory with the usual unrigorous general relativistic corrections is employed. The equations of motion and the equations for the partial derivatives with respect to initial conditions are presented in the form needed in the Encke's method of integration used in PEP.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 02, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0629130
Entities
People
- Michael E. Ash
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology