The relativistic factor in the orbital dynamics of point masses |
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| Authors: | Federico Benitez Tabaré Gallardo |
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| Institution: | (1) Departamento de Astronomia, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Fisica, Igua 4225, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay |
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| Abstract: | There is a growing population of relativistically relevant minor bodies in the Solar System and a growing population of massive
extrasolar planets with orbits very close to the central star where relativistic effects should have some signature. Our purpose
is to review how general relativity affects the orbital dynamics of the planetary systems and to define a suitable relativistic
correction for Solar System orbital studies when only point masses are considered. Using relativistic formulae for the N body
problem suited for a planetary system given in the literature we present a series of numerical orbital integrations designed
to test the relevance of the effects due to the general theory of relativity in the case of our Solar System. Comparison between
different algorithms for accounting for the relativistic corrections are performed. Relativistic effects generated by the
Sun or by the central star are the most relevant ones and produce evident modifications in the secular dynamics of the inner
Solar System. The Kozai mechanism, for example, is modified due to the relativistic effects on the argument of the perihelion.
Relativistic effects generated by planets instead are of very low relevance but detectable in numerical simulations. |
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| Keywords: | General Relativity effects Relativistic minor bodies Solar System Small bodies |
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