SATELLITE RESONANCE WITH LONGITUDE-DEPENDENT GRAVITY. 2. EFFECTS INVOLVING THE ECCENTRICITY,
Abstract
For a satellite in a nominally circular orbit at arbitrary inclination whose mean motion is commensurable with the Earth's rotation, the dependence of gravity on longitude leads to a resonant variation in eccentricity as well as the long-period oscillation in longitude. Provided forces capable of precessing perigee are present, it is shown that the change in eccentricity for a satellite captured in librational resonance is not secular but periodic. There are corresponding resonance effects for a satellite in a nominally equatorial but eccentric orbit. Here the commensurability condition is that the longitudes of the apses shall be nearly repetitive relative to the rotating Earth. There will be a long-period oscillation in longitude which can take the form of either a libration (trapped) or a circulation (free), and there will also be an oscillation of the orbital plane having the same period as the precession of perigee relative to inertial space. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0665961
Entities
People
- R. R. Allen
Organizations
- Royal Aircraft Establishment