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Mutual Potential of Homogeneous Polyhedra

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Abstract

The mutual gravitational potential between a pair of homogeneous polyhedra is expressed using an infinite series. The nested volume integrals are evaluated analytically and result in simple tensor expressions containing no special functions. However, complexity increases as O(6n), where n is the term degree. An alternate formulation due to Liebenthal is also presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA, 91109-8001, USA

    Robert A. Werner

  2. Department of Aerospace Engineering, The University of Michigan, 1320 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2140, USA

    Daniel J. Scheeres

Authors
  1. Robert A. Werner
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  2. Daniel J. Scheeres
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Correspondence to Robert A. Werner.

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Werner, R.A., Scheeres, D.J. Mutual Potential of Homogeneous Polyhedra. Celestial Mech Dyn Astr 91, 337–349 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10569-004-4621-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10569-004-4621-0

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