Two-Body Systems
Two-Body Force
A two-body system can be
defined with internal and
external forces.
int ext
m1r1 F1 F1
int ext
m2 r2 F2 F2
Center of mass R
Equal external force
F2int
Add to get the CM motion
ext ext
MR F1 F2
Subtract for relative motion
int int
r r F1 F2
1
2
m1
m2
m2
r = r1 r2
F2ext
r2
m1
F1int
r1
F1ext
Reduced Mass
The internal forces are equal
and opposite.
Express the equation in terms
of a reduced mass .
less than either m1, m2
approximately equals the
smaller mass when the other is
large.
int int
r r F F ( 1 1 ) F int
1
2
m1
m2
m1 m2
int
r r ( m1 m2 ) F int F
1
2
m1m2
m1m2
m2
m1 m2
for m1 m2
Central Force
Qm Fi
i
xi
qm
xi : x, y, z
Spherical coordinates
Generalized force
qm : r , ,
xi
Qr Fi
qr
i
Q Q 0
The internal force can be
expressed in other coordinates.
A force between two bodies can
only depend on r.
Central force
Kinetic Energy
The kinetic energy can be
expressed in spherical coordinates.
Use reduced mass
Lagranges equations can be
written for a central force.
Central force need not be from a
potential.
T 12 (r 2 r 2 2 r 2 sin 2 2 )
d T T
Qr
dt r r
d T T
dt
d T T
dt
Coordinate Reduction
T doesnt depend on directly.
d T T
dt
The angular momentum about
the polar axis is constant.
d T
0
dt
Planar motion
Include the polar axis in the
plane
This leaves two coordinates.
r,
T
2
2
r
sin
T 12 (r 2 r 2 2 )
constant
Angular Momentum
T also doesnt depend on
directly.
Constant angular momentum
Angular momentum J to avoid
confusion with the Lagrangian
d T T
dt
d T
0
dt
T
r 2 J
constant
Central Motion
Central motion takes place in a plane.
Force, velocity, and radius are coplanar
Orbital angular momentum is constant.
If the central force is time-independent, the orbit is
symmetrical about an apse.
Apse is where velocity is perpendicular to radius
Central Potential
The central force can derive
from a potential.
d T T
V
Qr
dt r r
r
Rewrite as differential equation
with angular momentum.
J 2 V
r 3
0
r
r
Central forces have an
equivalent Lagrangian.
2
J
L 12 r
V
2 r 2
2
Time Independence
Change the time derivative to
an angle derivative.
d d d
J d
2
dt dt d r d
Combine with the equation of
motion.
d T T
Qr
dt r r
The resulting equation
describes a trajectory.
J d T T
Qr
2
r d r r
Orbit Equation
The solution to the differential equation for the trajectory
gives the general orbit equation.
J d [ 12 (r 2 r 2 2 )] [ 12 (r 2 r 2 2 )]
Qr
2
r d
r
r
J dr
J 2 J d J dr
J2
r ( 2 ) 2
( 2
) 3 Qr
2
r d
r
r d r d
r
1 d 1 dr
1 Qr
(
)
2
2
2
3
r d r d
r
J
Let u = 1/r
d 2u
Qr
d 2
J 2u 2
Inverse Square Force
The inverse square force is
central.
< 0 for attractive force
F2int
m2
m1m2
m1 m2
Choose constant of integration
so V() = 0.
r = r1 r2
r2
Qr
m1
F1int
r1
r2
r
Kepler Lagrangian
The inverse square Lagrangian
can be expressed in polar
coordinates.
L T V 12 (r 2 r 2 2 )
T 12 (r 2 r 2 2 )
L is independent of time.
The total energy is a constant
of the motion.
Orbit is symmetrical about an
apse.
J2
E T V r
2
r
r
1
2
1
2
Kepler Orbits
The right side of the orbit
equation is constant.
Equation is integrable
Integration constants: e, 0
e related to initial energy
Phase angle corresponds to
orientation.
The substitution can be
reversed to get polar or
Cartesian coordinates.
d 2u
Qr
d 2
J 2u 2
J2
u
1
u
r
[1 e cos( 0 )]
2
J
J2
s
e
1 1
[1 e cos( 0 )]
r es
r e( s r cos( 0 ))
Conic Sections
r
s
init orientation (set to 0)
s is the directrix.
focus
r e( s r cos )
The orbit equation describes a
conic section.
The constant e is the
eccentricity.
sets the shape
e < 1 ellipse
e =1 parabola
e >1 hyperbola
Apsidal Position
Elliptical orbits have stable
apses.
Keplers first law
Minimum and maximum
values of r
Other orbits only have a
minimum
The energy is related to e:
Set r = r2, no velocity
2 EJ 2 12
e (1
)
2
1 1
(1 e cos )
r es
r1
r1
es
1 e
r2
es
1 e
r2
Angular Momentum
The change in area between
orbit and focus is dA/dt
dr
r
Related to angular velocity
The change is constant due to
constant angular momentum.
A 12 rr 12 r 2
J r 2
This is Keplers 2nd law
J
A
2
Period and Ellipse
r1
r2
The area for the whole ellipse
relates to the period.
semimajor axis: a=(r1+r2)/2.
A a
A a
1 e a
2
2 EJ 2
3
J2
J
2a 2
3
A
T 2a 2
A
This is Keplers 3rd law.
Relation holds for all orbits
Constant depends on
Effective Potential
The problem can be treated in
one dimension only.
J2
E r
Tr Veff
2
r
r
Just radial r term.
1
2
Minimum in potential implies
bounded orbits.
Veff
For > 0, no minimum
For E > 0, unbounded
Veff
0
Veff
r
unbounded
r
possibly
bounded
1
2
J2
2 r 2 r
Star Systems
Star systems can
involve both single
and multiple stars.
Binary stars are a case
of a two-body central
force problem.
Star systems within 10 Pc have
been cataloged by RECONS
(Jan 2012).
Total systems 259
Singles 185
Doubles 55
Triples 15
Quadruples 3
Quintuples 1
Visual Binaries
Visual binaries occur
when the centers are
separated by more than 1.
Atmospheric effects
Apparent binaries occur
when two stars are near
the same coordinates but
not close in space.
Binary Mass
(M 1 M 2 ) P a
2
Keplers third law can be made
unitless compared to the sun.
Mass in solar masses
Period in years
Semimajor axis in AU
Semimajor axis depends on
knowing the distance and tilt.
Separate masses come from
observing the center.
a a /
( M 1 M 2 ) P 2 a /
M 1a1 M 2 a2
a1 a2 a
Spectroscopic Binaries
r1 VP / 2
r2 vP / 2
a r1 r2
M1 M 2 a3 / P 2
M 1 / M 2 r2 / r1 v / V
Binary systems that are too
close require spectroscopy.
Doppler shifted lines
Velocity measurements
Eclipsing Binaries
An orbit inclination of
nearly 90 to the observer
produces an eclipsing
binary.
Light levels are used to
measure period and radii.
