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Two-body problem with variable mass: A new approach

1963; Elsevier BV; Volume: 2; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0019-1035(63)90072-1

1090-2643

John D. Hadjidemetriou,

Cosmology and Gravitation Theories

We have proved that the isotropic loss of mass from a binary system is equivalent to a fore proportional to the rate of loss of mass and to the velocity vector, in the direction of motion. Using this force as a perturbation, we have derived the equations of the variation of the elements of the orbit; and from these equations approximate relations for the secular variation of the semi-major axis and the eccentricity have been found. The eccentricity is proved to remain secularly constant, while the semi-major axis increases secularly. On the other hand, the radiation pressure does not alter the results obtained for the isotropic loss of mass, if the total mass of the system is augmented by an additional term depending on the luminosities of the two components.