Print Email Facebook Twitter Evaluation of 15th-order harmonics in the geopotential from analysis of resonant orbits Title Evaluation of 15th-order harmonics in the geopotential from analysis of resonant orbits Author King-Hele, D.G. Walker, D.M.C. Institution Royal Aircraft Establishment RAE Date 1981-01-31 Abstract Satellite orbits contracting under the influence of air drag experience 15th-order resonance when the track over the Earth repeats after 15 revolutions. If the orbital decay rate is slow enough, an orbit passing through the resonance is appreciably perturbed by the effects of 15th-order harmonies in the geopotential. We have used the observed perturbations in 23 resonant orbits, at various inclinations to the equator, to determine the harmonie coefficients of order 15 and degree 15, 16, 17, ... 35. Analysis of the changes in orbital inclination on the 23 orbits gives the harmonies of odd degree, while those of even degree are found from the changes in eccentricity on 16 of the orbits. The values derived are given in Tables 6 and 8. The coefficients of degrees 15, 16, 17, ... 23, should be more accurate than any previously obtained; their average sd is 1.4 x 10-9 , equivalent to 1 cm in geoid height. Comparisons with comprehensive Earth models showed the Goddard Earth Model 10B to be the best, and a standard deviation of about 3 x 10-9 in the GEM 10B 15th-order coefficients is indicated. To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:2076fa41-1d71-4cc6-b77e-dd41bd66a1f6 Publisher Procurement Executive, Ministry of Defence, Royal Aircraft Establishment, RAE Farnborough Access restriction Campus only Source RAE Technical Report No. 81006 Part of collection Aerospace Engineering Reports Document type report Rights © 1981 Controller HMSO London Files PDF Tech_Report_81006.pdf 29.89 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:2076fa41-1d71-4cc6-b77e-dd41bd66a1f6/datastream/OBJ/view