Re: Dynamical stability of an Earth Ring

From: Narasimham G.L. (mathma18_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 10/08/04 

Date: 8 Oct 2004 12:52:04 -0700

abdul.ahad@ntlworld.com (AA Institute) wrote in message news:<adbf5bc1.0410080534.eb5be27@posting.google.com>...
> Suppose an asteroid by a distant future engineering achievement has
> been captured into orbit around the Earth.
> Now suppose we want to carve it out by detonating a series of missiles
> that incrementally hollow their way into the body of such an asteroid.
> The material excavated out of the body would create a thin ring system
> around the Earth, as I try to illustrate here:-
>
> http://uk.geocities.com/aa_spaceagent/restricted/earth-ring.html
>
> My main concern with such a project is one of SAFETY. I'd like to know
> what a *safe* perigee (minimum) altitude would be necessary to prevent
> orbital decay of ring material. I don't want any material from my
> hypothetical ring system coming down toward the Earth under any
> circumstances. Would the ring material be contained in a narrow plane
> of fixed orbital incline, or would it scatter over time?
>
> QUESTION: I am under pressure to demonstrate by way of a mathematical
> model the dynamical stability of such a ring system, composed of small
> particles being gravitationally influenced by the Earth and the Moon
> by way of "3 body problem".
>
> What are the analytical equations necessary to help demonstrate
> *theoretically* that such ring particles would indeed be stable in
> their orbital paths around the Earth? Or if not, how would I be able
> to show this?
>
> I would sincerely appreciate all help, as this is quite *pivotal* to
> my research on this article.
>
> Thanks for any support.
> Abdul Ahad

Wonder if Saturn's thin rings debris formation is relevant here...
how shepherding matter into separate traffic lanes occurs.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Dynamical stability of an Earth Ring
    ... > been captured into orbit around the Earth. ... > that incrementally hollow their way into the body of such an asteroid. ... > The material excavated out of the body would create a thin ring system ...
    (sci.math)
  • Dynamical stability of an Earth Ring
    ... been captured into orbit around the Earth. ... that incrementally hollow their way into the body of such an asteroid. ... The material excavated out of the body would create a thin ring system ... *theoretically* that such ring particles would indeed be stable in ...
    (sci.math.num-analysis)
  • Dynamical stability of an Earth Ring
    ... been captured into orbit around the Earth. ... that incrementally hollow their way into the body of such an asteroid. ... The material excavated out of the body would create a thin ring system ... *theoretically* that such ring particles would indeed be stable in ...
    (sci.math)
  • Dynamic stability of an Earth Ring
    ... been captured into orbit around the Earth. ... that incrementally hollow their way into the body of such an asteroid. ... The material excavated out of the body would create a thin ring system ... *theoretically* that such ring particles would indeed be stable in ...
    (sci.physics.research)
  • Re: Dynamic stability of an Earth Ring
    ... > particles being gravitationally influenced by the Earth and the Moon ... I hereby report that a ring system that is not oriented along the ... from a non-circular orbit of an asteroid, will scatter its particles ... equatorial plane has a very short term ...
    (sci.physics.research)