Satellite Orbital Precessions Caused by the Octupolar Mass Moment of a Non-Spherical Body Arbitrarily Oriented in Space
Abstract
I consider a satellite moving around a non-spherical body of mass M and equatorial radius R, and calculate its orbital precessions caused by the body's octupolar mass moment J 4. I consider only the effects averaged over one orbital period T of the satellite. I give exact formulas, not restricted to any special values of either the eccentricity e or the inclination i of the satellite's orbit. I do not assume any preferential orientation for the body's spin axis because in many cases of potential interest (exoplanets, neutron stars, black holes) it is poorly known or unknown at all.
- Publication:
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Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy
- Pub Date:
- December 2013
- DOI:
- 10.1007/s12036-013-9186-4
- Bibcode:
- 2013JApA...34..341R
- Keywords:
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- Experimental studies of gravity—satellite orbits—harmonics of the gravity potential field