Abstract
With the development of modern electronic computing devices capable of handling relatively complex sequences of mathematical operations about as easily as simpler ones, the advantages of the method of variation of constants (or elements or parameters) may outweigh, in many special perturbations problems, the greater simplicity of the methods of Cowell and Encke. These advantages include especially a lesser accumulation of error in the numerical integration process because it involves (1) single rather than double summation and (2) usually fewer steps. There has been, apparently, no systematic attempt to find the parameters most suited to the problem in either special or general perturbations, even when they are restricted to the constants of the two-body problem. With this restriction the most obvious simplification is the incorporation of the orientation elements, i, Q, co, into the direction cosines of the major and minor axes of the orbit (usually designated Px, PV) Pz, and Qx, Qv, Qz) or into functions involving the latter. Investigation of several such functions indicates that it is advantageous to use as parameters
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
