From circular paths to elliptic orbits: a geometric approach to Kepler's motion

DOI10.1088/0143-0807/19/5/004zbMATH Open1113.70311arXivphysics/9810034OpenAlexW2030741892MaRDI QIDQ4433657FDOQ4433657

Authors: A. González-Villanueva, Elisa Guillaumín-España, H. N. Núñez-Yépez, A. L. Salas-Brito, R. P. Martínez-y-Romero 

Publication date: 3 December 2003

Published in: European Journal of Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: The hodograph, i.e. the path traced by a body in velocity space, was introduced by Hamilton in 1846 as an alternative for studying certain dynamical problems. The hodograph of the Kepler problem was then investigated and shown to be a circle, it was next used to investigate some other properties of the motion. We here propose a new method for tracing the hodograph and the corresponding configuration space orbit in Kepler's problem starting from the initial conditions given and trying to use no more than the methods of synthetic geometry in a sort of Newtonian approach. All of our geometric constructions require straight edge and compass only.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/9810034

Recommendations

• A new look at the Feynman `hodograph' approach to the Kepler first law
• A short solution to the Keplerian ballistic problem using the velocity hodograph
• The velocity hodograph for an arbitrary Keplerian motion
• A configuration counterpart of the Kepler problem hodograph
• Central Force Laws, Hodographs, and Polar Reciprocals

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Two-body problems (70F05) Generalized coordinates; event, impulse-energy, configuration, state, or phase space for problems in mechanics (70G10)

Cited In (10)

• The velocity hodograph for an arbitrary Keplerian motion
• Geodesic effect near an elliptical orbit
• The geometry of isochrone orbits: from Archimedes' parabolae to Kepler's third law
• On Feynman’s analysis of the geometry of Keplerian orbits
• A global view of the isochronous trajectory families by Hamilton's hodographic transformation
• A short solution to the Keplerian ballistic problem using the velocity hodograph
• A new look at the Feynman `hodograph' approach to the Kepler first law
• A simple, accurate, geometrical approximation to the Keplerian motion
• Kepler's ellipse, Cassini's oval and the trajectory of planets
• Vectorial Regularization and Temporal Means in Keplerian Motion

This page was built for publication: From circular paths to elliptic orbits: a geometric approach to Kepler's motion

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q4433657)