Series:

Advances in Geophysical and Environmental Mechanics and Mathematics

2 total works

Cover of Shapes and Dynamics of Granular Minor Planets

This book develops a general approach that can be systematically refined to investigate the statics and dynamics of deformable solid bodies. These methods are then employed to small bodies in the Solar System. With several space missions underway and more being planned, interest in our immediate neighbourhood is growing. In this spirit, this book investigates various phenomena encountered in planetary science, including disruptions during planetary fly-bys, equilibrium shapes and stability of small rubble bodies, and spin-driven shape changes.

 

The flexible procedure proposed here will help readers gain valuable insights into the mechanics of solar system bodies, while at the same time complementing numerical investigations. The technique itself is built upon the virial method successfully employed by Chandrasekhar (1969) to study the equilibrium shapes of spinning fluid objects. However, here Chandrasekhar’s approach is modified in order to study more complex dynamical situations and include objects of different rheologies, e.g., granular aggregates, or “rubble piles”. The book is largely self-contained, though some basic familiarity with continuum mechanics will be beneficial.

Cover of Dynamics of Deformable Bodies
This book employs an approximate approach that can be systematically improved to investigate the statics and dynamics of deformable solid bodies. We apply these methods to investigate various phenomena encountered in planetary science that include disruptions during planetary fly-bys, equilibrium shapes, and nutational damping. With several space missions underway, and more being planned, interest in our immediate neighbourhood is growing. We feel that our flexible procedure may help gain valuable insight into the mechanics of solar system bodies, while at the same time complementing numerical investigations. The technique itself is built upon the virial method employed advantageously by Chandrasekhar (1969) for studying the equilibrium shapes of spinning fluid objects. However, we modify Chandrasekhar's approach to study more complex dynamical situations and include objects of different rheologies, e.g., granular aggregates. This book itself requires basic familiarity with celestial mechanics and solid mechanics, though it is to a great extent self-contained.