COMMUNICATIONS / MITTEILUNGEN
I. Izsák
On the First Order Secular Perturbations of an Artificial
Satellite in the Gravitational Field of the Oblate Earth
No. 43
Budapest, 1958
Abstract
Some interesting theoretical problems have arisen concerning the revo-
lution of artificial satellites around the Earth. This kinematic phenomenon
could only be described accurately by Kepler's well-known laws if no force
other than the gravitational attraction of an Earth of spherically symmetrical
mass-distribution acted upon the artificial satellite. It is obvious, however,
that in the case of a celestial body moving in the proximity of the Earth's
surface neither air resistance, nor the correction of the gravitational field due
to the oblateness of the Earth may be neglected. At greater distances, on the
other hand, the attraction of the Moon and the Sun must be taken into account.
While the theory of perturbations due to air resistance is easily accessible in
past astronomical literature (e. g. [1]), the problem of the perturbations
caused by oblateness has only recently arisen in the general form needed in
our case. In the present paper, after a comparison of the gravitational forces
to be taken into account, the first order secular perturbations of an artificial
satellite due to the oblateness of the Earth shall be determined for an arbitrary inclination and excentricity of its orbit.
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