Solar radiation pressure and deviations from Keplerian orbits

Newtonian gravity and general relativity give exactly the same expression for the period of an object in circular orbit around a static central mass. However, when the effects of the curvature of spacetime and solar radiation pressure are considered simultaneously for a solar sail propelled satellit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physics letters. B 2009-05, Vol.675 (1), p.18-21
Main Authors: Kezerashvili, Roman Ya, Vázquez-Poritz, Justin F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Exact sciences and technology
Nuclear physics
Physics
The physics of elementary particles and fields
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Summary:Newtonian gravity and general relativity give exactly the same expression for the period of an object in circular orbit around a static central mass. However, when the effects of the curvature of spacetime and solar radiation pressure are considered simultaneously for a solar sail propelled satellite, there is a deviation from Kepler's third law. It is shown that solar radiation pressure affects the period of this satellite in two ways: by effectively decreasing the solar mass, thereby increasing the period, and by enhancing the effects of other phenomena, potentially rendering some of them detectable. In particular, we consider deviations from Keplerian orbits due to spacetime curvature, frame dragging from the rotation of the sun, the oblateness of the sun, a possible net electric charge of the sun, and a very small positive cosmological constant.
ISSN:0370-2693
1873-2445
DOI:10.1016/j.physletb.2009.03.058