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Relativistic Orbital Velocity
Relativistic Orbital Velocity
Abstract
The relativistic orbital velocity formula for circular orbits is derived through direct application of the Newtonian orbital velocity to escape velocity relationship using the corresponding relativistic forms of orbital velocity and escape velocity.
1. Introduction
The fundamental relationship between the Newtonian orbital velocity formula for circular orbits and the corresponding Newtonian escape velocity formula is applied to the previously derived relativistic formula for escape velocity1 to derive the relativistic form of the orbital velocity
formula for circular orbits.
where a is the rate of acceleration directed toward the center of gravity of the primary body, v is the constant rate of speed along the circumference of the circle, and R is the radius of the circle or radial distance to the center of gravity of the primary body. This form of acceleration is
referred to as centripetal acceleration to distinguish it from the straight line acceleration associated with an object in free fall toward a primary gravitating body where there is an increase in speed with no change in direction of the accelerating object. The force associated with the centripeta
acceleration given by equation (1) is defined by
where F is the centripetal force, and m is the mass of the accelerating object. Since Newton’s law of universal gravitation gives the gravitational force above the surface of the primary body as
where F is the gravitational force, G is the universal gravitational constant, and M is the mass of the primary body, we can by way of substitution with equations (1) and (2) arrive at
or simply
where the subscript o is added to show that vo is the orbital velocity for a circular orbit. Given the gravitational potential Φ as defined by
where, for purposes of simplicity, vo is the orbital velocity for circular orbits expressed in terms of gravitational potential Φ.
in the manner
that gives the minimum energy required for mass m to escape the gravity of a primary body of mass M. Solving this equation for v then gives
where in each case the subscript e is added to show that ve is the escape velocity.
and by way of substitution with the left side of equation (8) into the right side of equation (14) we obtain
or conversely
giving the relationship of the Newtonian orbital velocity vo to the Newtonian escape velocity ve. By squaring both sides of equations (15) and (16) the relationship between the Newtonian orbital velocity and escape velocity can alternately be expressed as
and
respectively for improved understanding of the relationship between the two kinds of velocities.
is the relativistic escape velocity formula, it would appear that the relativistic form of the orbital velocity formula for circular orbits is given by the relationship
which is simply a modified form of equation (16) using the right side of equation (19) in place of ve that previously represented the Newtonian escape velocity and not the relativistic escape velocity. Simplification of equation (20) then gives
and therefore
or
where vo now represents the relativistic orbital velocity for circular orbits.
for the relativistic form of the centripetal acceleration formula. The factor
operating on variable v in equation (24) is simply another form of the Lorentz transformation factor3 often referred to as gamma and is the form used throughout the author’s own work to distinguish it from Einstein’s theory. Simplification of equation (24) gives
where a is the relativistic rate of centripetal acceleration. Using this same procedure to modify equation (2) to its relativistic form gives
that simplifies to
where F is the relativistic form of centripetal force acting on mass m of the accelerating object.
If we now equate the relativistic forms of centripetal acceleration and force given in equations (26) and (28) to the universal gravitation equation (3) as done previously with equations (1) and (2) to obtain equation (4) given earlier, we obtain
that simplifies to
and upon substitution with the left side of equation (7) gives
for the relativistic relationship of velocity v to gravitational potential Φ. Solving for v then gives
ending with
as the final form of the alternative relativistic orbital velocity formula for circular orbits. Similar to the previous derivations, the subscripts oa were added to the variable v to show it is the alternate orbital velocity and not the original orbital velocity nor the escape velocity.
for escape velocity as the gravitational potential increases toward the value of c2, then, as the gravitational potential continues to increase toward the value of 2c2, both velocities decrease toward 0. Any further increase in gravitational potential results in an imaginary result for both
velocities. Although the alternative orbital velocity also rises asymptotically, similar to but not identical to the accepted orbital velocity, and intersects the same peak value point as given by equation (40), it continues to increase asymptotically with the continued increase in gravitational
potential. This behavior is not supported by any of the preceding research and analyses that led to the original discovery of the relativistic escape velocity formula and the resulting accepted orbital velocity formula (22) and (23) introduced in this present work. And since all of the preceding
research and analyses are based on the accepted principles of relativistic theory, it would seem that the alternative formula (39) cannot be entirely correct. To facilitate understanding of the relationships just discussed, they are given in chart form in Figure 1 that follows:
8. Conclusion
The findings presented in this work are based upon extensive research and analyses involving every reasonable approach the author could conceive to derive the relativistic form of the orbital velocity formula for circular orbits through the direct application of appropriate relativistic
principles. After exhaustive analyses and comparison of the many different results, the alternative formula (39) for the relativistic orbital velocity given in this work was the only reasonable alternative to the accepted formula given as equations (22) and (23). This is not to say that some
future breakthrough might not give additional insights needed to verify the accepted version of the relativistic orbital velocity formula for circular orbits through an independent derivation process that produces the exact same formula. But in the author’s opinion there is nothing is to be gain
in the meantime by not advancing forward with the results already obtained. The future will speak for itself.
REFERENCES
1 Joseph A. Rybczyk, Relativistic Escape Velocity, (2009); Relativistic Escape Velocity using Relativistic Forms of Potential and Kinetic Energy, (2009), http://www.mrelativity.net
2 Joseph A. Rybczyk, Time and Energy, Inertia and Gravity, (2001), equation, http://www.mrelativity.net
3 The mathematical factor devised by Dutch physicist H. A. Lorentz in 1895 to explain the null results of the Michelson and Morley interferometer experiments of 1887. The use of the factor was expanded upon by Albert Einstein to include time dilation and other effects in his original work, On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies, (1905), now
referred to as the Special Theory of Relativity. This same factor took on a different form in its use in the Millennium Theory of Relativity, (2001) by the present author.
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