Trajectories of Artificial Celestial Bodies as Determined from Observations / Trajectoires des Corps Celestes Artificiels Déterminées D’après les Observations: Proceedings of a Symposium Held in Paris, April 20–23, 1965

281 Pages·1966·5.58 MB·English

by  I. D. Zhongolovich (auth.)

COSPAR-IAU-IUTAM
TRAJECTORIES OF ARTIFICIAL
CELESTIAL BODIES
AS DETERMINED FROM OBSERVATIONS
TRAJECTOIRES DES CORPS
CELESTES ARTIFICIELS
DETERMINEES D'APRES LES OBSERVATIONS
PROCEEDINGS OF A SYMPOSIUM
HELD IN PARIS, APRIL 20-23,1965
EDITED BY
JEAN KOVALEVSKY
WITH 55 FIGURES
SPRINGER-VERLAG
BERLINjHEIDELBERGjNEWYORK
1966
Proceedings of a symposium held in Paris, April 20-23, 1965, organized jointly by
the committee on Space Research (COSPA R), the International Astronomical
Union (IAU) and the International Union for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
(IUTAM).
Edited by
JEAN KOVALEVSKY
with the assistance of
BRUNO MORANDO
ISBN 978-3-642-49328-7 ISBN 978-3-642-49326-3 (eBook)
DOl 10.1007/978-3-642-49326-3
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without permission in writing from the publishers
@ by Springer Verlag, Berlin/Heidelberg 1966
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1966
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 66-26599
Titel Nr. 1345
In Memoriam
Imre G.lzsak
(1929-1965)
IMRE ISZAK, who died of a heart attack while attending the Sym
posium in Paris, was a celestial mechanician of the first order, an out
standing theoretician and a brilliant oberservational analyst. During
the few short years of the space age and its new disciplines, he made
himself a world authority on satellite geodesy. His achievement was
already great; his potential was enormous.
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory was honored in his
work.
IMRE GYULA IZSAK (in Hungarian IMRE is the same name as AMERIGO)
was born in the small town of Zalaegers~eg, some 200 miles from Buda
pest. At the University of Budapest, he studied astronomy under the
late KAROLY LASSOVSKY (who afterwards also joined the Smithsonian)
and concentrated on study of variable stars and globular clusters.
Like so many other of his countrymen, he fled during the 1956
revolt, and resumed astronomic studies at the ZUrich Observatory. In
december, 1958, he moved to the United States, to the Observatory
of the University of Cincinnati, and in the next year he joined the
staff of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. On February 24,
1964-three days after his birthday-he became a United States citizen.
IV In Memoriam IMRE G. IzsAK
In Cambridge he lived with his wife and young son, ANDREW, at
37 Concord Avenue.
His interest had shifted to celestial mechanics and mathematics
both theoretical and applied, and at the Smithsonian he concentrated
on study of the Earth's shape and gravity field. Working with tens of
thousands of precise observations of artificial satellites obtained by
the observatory's network of 12 BAKER-NuNN satellite tracking cameras,
he was the first to determine from satellite observations the ellipticity
of the Earth's equator, he improved positional accuracy of the tracking
station coordinates and continually improved estimates of tesseral
harmonics. He had brought with him to the symposium the most
accurate mapping of the geoid surface ever made.
He arrived in Paris the evening of April, 19. During the afternoon
of April 21 he became ill. He died, quietly, in his bed, that night.
He was 36.
F. L. Whipple
Director of the Smithsonian
Astrophysical Observatory
Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Avant-propos
C'est une chance rare et dont j'apprecie tout Ie prix que de se trouver
en meme temps appele it presider COSPAR, Comite scientifique de
ICSU, et lUTAM, Union scientifique adMrant it ICSU, et d'avoir ainsi
1'honneur de representer en meme temps ces deux organisations,
COSPAR et lUTAM, patronnant avec 1'Union Astronomique lnter
nationale un Symposium sur la Determination des Trajectoires des Corps
celestes artificiels it partir de leur observation.
Le Pro J. KOVALEVSKY, dont Ie nom est aussi connu it COSPAR
qu'it lAU, et qui n'est pas non plus un etranger pour lUTAM puisqu'il
est un eminent specialiste de la Mecanique celeste, expose tres comple
tement, dans la preface qu'il donne au present volume, l' origine, les
buts et les faits marquants du deroulement de ce Symposium, tenu it
Paris du 20 au 23 Avril, et malheureusement endeuille par Ie deces
tout it fait soudain du regrette Dr. lMRE G.lzsAK auquel ce livre se
trouve dedie selon un desir unanime.
Je ne doute pas que Ie present ouvrage apportera une importante
contribution aux progres du sujet si fondamental qu'il traite, et qu'il
sera ainsi apprecie it sa juste valeur par tous ses lecteurs.
Que Ie Pro KOVALEVSKY soit particulierement remercie de la part
qu'il a prise personnellement it la preparation et au succes justifie de
ce Symposium, et que soient remercies egalement ici tous les auteurs
dont ce volume publie les travaux.
Maurice Roy
Preface
In May 1962 the International Union of Theoretical and Applied
Mechanics (IUTAM) organized a symposium in Paris on the theory
of the movement of the Earth's artificial satellites designated to confront
the results of the first spatial experiences with the mechanical point
of view. The papers submitted during this meeting have been published
in 1963 in a collection entitled "Dynamics of Satellites" by Springer
Verlag.
During the last three years the importance of studies pertaining
to the dynamics of artificial satellites has continued to increase, and
many results due to observations have led to a deeper knowledge of
the field of forces in which these objects move, particularly the field
of gravitation of the Earth, the forces due to pressure of radiation,
friction of the atmosphere, etc. .. A new symposium seemed therefore
suitable to determine these recent advances. However, this time it
appeared appropriate to consider it more from the point of view of the
interpretation obtained from the results of observations (determination
of orbits and forces existing) than from the point of view of the theory
of motion. For this reason the complete title of the second symposium
is as follows: "Trajectories of Artificial Celestial Bodies, as Determined
from Observations".
The interest of this second meeting has been acknowledged by many
international scientific bodies, and if the initiative is due to the IUTAM
through the medium of its president Professor MAURICE Roy, the Inter
national"Committee of Space Research (COSPAR) as well as the Inter
national Astronomical Union (IAU) proclaimed their great interest
regarding this project and took an active part in the organization and
financing of this symposium.
These three organizations were unanimous in advising to restrict
the number of participants, according to a formula currently applied
at the IUTAM and which had been that of the 1962 symposium. This
restriction was a great handicap to the work of the scientific committee
entrusted with the dispatch of iRvitations and choice of communica
tions.
Preface VII
This committee under the presidency of Professor MAURICE Roy,
was composed as follows:
Mrs. A. G. MASSEVITCH and Professor E. BucHAR for the COSPAR,
Professors S. HERRICK and G. C. MCVITTIE for the IUTAM,
Professor D. BROUWER and the undersigned for the IAU.
Finally, and also taking into account several missing participants
who failed to appear at the last minute, 26 invited participants were
present. They were joined by six observers who were in Paris during
the symposium.
The sudden death of our colleague I. G. IZSAK astronomer of the
Smithsonian Observatory cast a shadow on the symposium. Acting
on the decision of the symposium this volume is dedicated to the memory
of this scientist who was loved by all those who knew him. His numerous
original works of great importance, particularly in the fields of celestial
mechanics, astronomy, applied mathematics or in the study of the
Earth's field of gravitation with the aid of the satellites accurate observa
tions, are highly esteemed by all, astronomers, geodesists, and specia
lists in the field of space research. Professor F. WHIPPLE, Director of
the Smithsonian Observatory, sent us a short biography of I. G. IZSAK,
which is to be found at the beginning of the book.
The meetings were held on 20,21, 22 and 23 April in the rooms put
at the disposal of the symposium at the Centre Universitaire Inter
national. The eight sessions were presided over respectively as below:
Tuesday 20 April: opening session: Prof. D. BROUWER
afternoon: Mrs. A. G. MASSEVITCH
Wednesday 21 April: morning: Dr. D. G. PORTER
afternoon: Prof. M. Roy
Thursday 22 April: morning: Prof. G. N. DUBOSHIN
afternoon: Mr. W. M. KAULA
Friday 23 April: first session: Prof. S. HERRICK
second session: Prof. G. A. CHEBOTAREV
This volume contains all communications presented during the
sessions of work. 9 from the USA, 7 from the URSS, 4 from the UK,
and respectively, one from Canada, France, Hungary, Japan, New
Zealand and Czechoslovakia. With two exceptions they are given in
the sequence heard: it was endeavoured to group them by subject.
Summaries of the three communications which have already been
made into a publication are given with all necessary references. Two
articles submitted in Russian have been translated into English by
Mr. B. MORANDO and myself. Each original article is preceded by a
summary in English and in French. An analytical index is given to
facilitate the use of this volume, indicating the place where the principal
VIII Preface
problems are dealt with, and which have been evoked during these
days in the communications as well as during the discussions. I wish
to thank Mr. B. MORANDO here who has given me important help by
doing a large part of the work necessary in noting, selecting and editing
the principal phases of the numerous and fruitful discussions which
followed the communications and in which all participants took an
active part. We hope thus that the work contains the essential of the .
ideas exchanged on this occasion.
The reader will look up the main part of the volume for details
pertaining to the works given; let us mention only the main directions
of research which are apparent either on hearing or reading them.
One of the problems presently preoccupying the COSPAR and more
particularly its Working Group No.1 (W.G.l) is the utilization for
scientific use of the numerous visual observations of the satellites of
rather poor accuracy. The sub-group of dynamics of the W.G.l was
particularly assigned to promote research in this field. The five first
articles here show the first results of this research, proving that under
certain conditions highly interesting results can be obtained without
necessitating important calculating facilities: this research is therefore
possible for countries not in a position to devote important equipment
for space research.
Other communications show to what extent a particularly thorough
analysis of the observation material will allow for the considerable
improvement in accuracy of the results, in comparison with procedures
brutally utilizing the method of the mean squares. It seems indeed that
future improvement of parameters representing forces influencing the
satellites depends not less on the clarification of the methods of analysis
of the measurement (whether of short or long arcs) and their numerical
treatment, than on the accuracy of the observations. This is one of the
principal conclusions of these meetings.
The effects of radiation pressure attracted the attention of several
participants, either in the case of a direct effect or one due to radiation
reflected by the Earth according to two possibilities. Of particular
interest for theoretical and applied mechanics was the evidence of the
effect that solar heat can have on the rotation of plastic satellites.
Geodesy is one of the sciences which has benefitted the most by the
launching of satellites and their observation. It is curious to behold
the importance a good determination of the orbits can have in the
success of geometric methods. Of course dynamic methods have been
dealt with at length: the knowledge of the Earth's gravitational field
has considerably increased since three years. 1. G. IZSAK made out a
very detailed map of the altitude of the geoid with respect to the ellipsoid,
resulting from 26,000 observations. The detailed analysis relating to
Preface IX
radial velocity by the DOPPLER-FIzEAU radio electric effect now make
it possible to evaluate certain harmonics of the order 12 or 15.
Finally among the artificial celestial bodies, the space probes are
getting more and more important, and it was quite natural that they
would not be ignored by a symposium devoted to the determination
of the orbits of artificial celestial bodies. The sensational results in
trajectography made by the radio-tracking of Mariner II are indicated
in this volume. However, as projects in this field are even more nume
rous than their realisations, it was necessary to discuss the problems
remaining: lunar probes, cometary probes and the satellites around the
Moon have been studied in this sense during the symposium.
We are very glad that Springer-Verlag accepted to ensure the edition
of this symposium through the medium of this volume which thus
constitutes the logical continuation to the work "Dynamics of Satellites"
already mentioned, the contents of which by the way are still up to
date.
I wish to thank here the three unions or international scientific
committees, COSPA R, IAU and IUTAM who made possible a good
organization of this symposium in financing the travelling expenses
of certain delegates who otherwise would not have been able to
participate in these meetings.
I also thank the Centre Universitaire International du Ministere
de l'Education Nationale and in particular its director Mrs. ZALCBERG
who welcomed the symposium, and the Direction des Relations avec
la Communaute et l'Etranger du Ministere de l'Education Nationale
whose subvention made it possible for the delegates and their families
to gather at a friendly dinner. Finally, the Bureau des Longitudes has
also contributed to the organization of these meetings, through payment
of part of the expenses and the loan of material as well as the help of
its personnel.
Paris, 1965 Jean Kovalevsky
Preface
En Mai 1962, 1'Union Internationale de Mecanique theorique et
a
appliquee (IUTAM) organisait, Paris, un symposium sur la theorie
a
du mouvement des satellites artificiels de la Terre destine confronter
les resultats des premieres experiences spatiales du point de vue de la
mecanique. Les travaux exposes au cours de cette reunion ont eM
publies en 1963, dans un recueil intituIe «D ynamics of Satellites» par
les editions Springer-Verlag.
Au cours des trois dernieres annees, l'importance des etudes de
dynamique des satellites artificiels n'a fait que croitre et de nombreux
resultats d'observations ont permis d'approfondir la connaissance du
champ de forces dans lequel se meuvent ces objets, notamment en ce
a
qui concerne Ie champ de gravitation de la Terre, les forces dues la
pression de radiation, au frottement atmospherique, etc ... Un nouveau
symposium, faisant une mise au point de ces recents progres, semblait
donc souhaitable, mais, cette fois, il paraissait utile de l' envisager plus
du point de vue de l'interpretation des resultats d'observation (deter
mination des orbites et des forces en presence) que du point de vue de
la theorie des mouvements. C'est pourquoi, Ie titre complet de ce second
symposium est «Trajectoires des Corps Celestes Artificiels, Determinees
d'apres les Observations ».
L'inMret de cette seconde rencontre a eM reconnu par plusieurs
organismes scientifiques internationaux et, si 1'initiative en est due a
l'IUTAM par la voix de son president, Monsieur Ie Professeur MAURICE
Roy, aussi bien que Ie Comite International de Recherches Spatiales
(COSPAR) que l'Union Astronomique Internationale (IAU) se sont
a
declares tres interesses par ce projet et ont activement participe
l'organisation et au financement de ce symposium.
a
Ces trois organismes ont ete unanimes conseiller de restreindre
Ie nombre de participants, selon une formule couramment appliquee a
l'IUTAM et qui avait eM celle du symposium de 1962. Cette restriction
a rendu tres difficile Ie travail du comite scientifique charge de lancer
les invitations et de choisir les communications.