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Re: 2 body problem



On Fri, 3 May 1996, al clark wrote:


On Thu, 2 May 1996, A. R. Marlow wrote:

I think what you want is the equation for "geodesic deviation," the
separation between two neighboring geodesics.

No. I'm wondering about the GR Kepler problem: the motion of two bodies
under their mutual gravitational influence.

I believe that is the same problem. The geodesic deviation equation gives
the separation between two particles as their worldlines evolve in curved
spacetime, e. g., Earth and moon spiralling together through spacetime, or,
using the Schwartzschild metric, gives the approximation of the separation
between the spiralling world line of a planet from the world line of the
Sun (assuming negligible effect of planet on spacetime).

Have you found a separate reference to the Kepler problem in GR books?
I don't have a bunch of them with me right now.

A. R. Marlow E-MAIL: marlow@beta.loyno.edu
Department of Physics PHONE: (504) 865 3647 (Office)
Loyola University 865 2245 (Home)
New Orleans, LA 70118 FAX: (504) 865 2453