Post-Newtonian satellite orbits

Abstract

The first post-Newtonian approximation of general relativity is used to account for the motion of solar system bodies and near-Earth objects which are slow moving and produce weak gravitational fields. The $n$ -body relativistic equations of motion are given by the Einstein-Infeld-Hoffmann equations. For $n=2$ , we investigate the associated dynamics of two-body systems in the first post-Newtonian approximation. By direct integration of the associated planar equations of motion, we deduce a new expression that characterises the orbit of test particles in the first post-Newtonian regime generalising the well-known Binet equation for Newtonian mechanics. The expression so obtained does not appear to have been given in the literature and is consistent with classical orbiting theory in the Newtonian limit. Further, the accuracy of the post-Newtonian Binet equation is numerically verified by comparing secular variations of known expression with the full general relativistic orbit equation.