Abstract
The effect of changes in the Moon's semimajor axis and the Earth's orbital eccentricity on the occurrence of Saros-like cycles is examined. The Earth-Moon-Sun dynamical system exhibits such cycles for only 25 to 30% of the time interval between -5×107 to +5×107 years. Not only has the present Saros the smallest period during this time, but it also has one of the longest durations and the period closest to an integral number of anomalistic years, thus making it one of the most efficient Saros-like cycles for reversing solar perturbations in the main lunar problem. During the lifetime of a Saros-like cycle, variations of the Earth's orbital eccentricity cause frequent disappearances and reappearances of the cycle.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 341-358 |
Number of pages | 18 |
Journal | Celestial Mechanics & Dynamical Astronomy |
Volume | 57 |
Issue number | 1-2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Oct 1993 |
Keywords
- main lunar problem
- periodic orbits
- Saros like periodicities
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Modelling and Simulation
- Mathematical Physics
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science
- Computational Mathematics
- Applied Mathematics