Rigid Body Dynamics

The DeGruyter Studies in Mathematical Physics are devoted to the publication of monographs and high-level texts in mathematical physics. They cover topics and methods in fields of current interest, with an emphasis on didactical presentation. The series will enable readers to understand, apply and develop further, with sufficient rigor, mathematical methods to given problems in physics. For this reason, works with a few authors are preferred over edited volumes. The works in this series are aimed at advanced students and researchers in mathematical and theoretical physics. They also can serve as secondary reading for lectures and seminars at advanced levels.

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This book provides an up-to-date overview of results in rigid body dynamics, including material concerned with the analysis of nonintegrability and chaotic behavior in various related problems. The wealth of topics covered makes it a practical reference for researchers and graduate students in mathematics, physics and mechanics. Contents Rigid Body Equations of Motion and Their Integration The Euler – Poisson Equations and Their Generalizations The Kirchhoff Equations and Related Problems of Rigid Body Dynamics Linear Integrals and Reduction Generalizations of Integrability Cases. Explicit Integration Periodic Solutions, Nonintegrability, and Transition to Chaos Appendix A : Derivation of the Kirchhoff, Poincaré – Zhukovskii, and Four-Dimensional Top Equations Appendix B: The Lie Algebra e(4) and Its Orbits Appendix C: Quaternion Equations and L-A Pair for the Generalized Goryachev – Chaplygin Top Appendix D: The Hess Case and Quantization of the Rotation Number Appendix E: Ferromagnetic Dynamics in a Magnetic Field Appendix F: The Landau – Lifshitz Equation, Discrete Systems, and the Neumann Problem Appendix G: Dynamics of Tops and Material Points on Spheres and Ellipsoids Appendix H: On the Motion of a Heavy Rigid Body in an Ideal Fluid with Circulation Appendix I: The Hamiltonian Dynamics of Self-gravitating Fluid and Gas Ellipsoids