Regular precessions in a central Newtonian field of forces (Q911820)

Introduction: Considered is the problem of the motion of a gyroscope about its mass center in a central Newtonian field of forces. This study may be of interest in Celestial Mechanics, particularly in the dynamics of the solar system. Specifically, the motion of a rigid body subjected to the gravitational forces due to a mass placed at a point of a plane containing the trajectory of the body's center of mass is considered. The effect of the gravitational forces is evaluated according to the usual approximation in Celestial Mechanics, in which the extent of the body is taken into account. The case in which the motion of the mass center is a Keplerian motion is particularly interesting but very difficult in general. After some general preliminary statements, it is supposed that the trajectory of the mass center is a circumference described at a constant speed, with the aim of characterizing some significant solutions. It is well known that this case is often close to reality in problems of the solar system. By using a special, kinematical, and general property of rigid motions, which the author demonstrated earlier [Atti Accad. Naz. Lincei, Rend., Cl. Sci. Fis. Mat. Nat., VIII. Ser. 34, 636-641 (1963; Zbl 0115.18604)], a class of regular precessions which are dynamically possible is determined, that is a class of motions in which the angular velocity is the sum of two vectors: one constant in space, one fixed in the body.