AST 570: Solar System Dynamics (Spring 2013)


Instructor: Alice Quillen, B+L424, 275-9625, aquillen at pas.rochester.edu
Lectures: TR 11:05-12:20, in B+L315.

Dynamics of bodies in the solar system and exo-solar systems will be explored with an emphasis on applying results to the interpretation of exo-planetary systems. Topics covered will be
  • Two body problem. Orbital elements. f and g functions. Universal variables for hyperbolic and eccentric orbits.
  • Hamiltonian formulation. Cannonical transformations. Symplectic integrators.
  • Hyperbolic orbits. Impulse approximation. Dynamical friction. Gravitational stirring
  • 3 body problem. Jacobi integral. Tisserand relation
  • Disturbing function. Low eccentricity expansions
  • Secular perturbations. Kozai resonance
  • Mean motion resonances. Resonant trapping
  • Dust dynamics. Yarkosky effect
  • Collision cascades. Debris disks. Planetesimal size distributions
  • Spiral density waves. Torque formula. Gap opening. Planet migration
  • Stability of N-body systems. Resonance overlap criterion.
  • ``Nice'' model
  • Tidal evolution
  • Planet and planetesimal formation. Disk clearing
  • Chaotic dynamics. KAM and Neskhoroshev theorem's