Bivariate Infinite Series Solution of Kepler's Equations

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new class of bivariate infinite series solutions for Kepler's equations, derived through an iterative method for computing derivatives, which can improve numerical algorithms for orbital calculations.

Contribution

It presents a novel bivariate infinite series approach for solving Kepler's equations, expanding beyond traditional 1-D series and enabling efficient 2-D spline algorithms.

Findings

Series converge numerically with high accuracy in large parameter regions.

Truncated polynomials up to fifth degree provide precise solutions.

Method offers a new analytical tool for orbital mechanics computations.

Abstract

A class of bivariate infinite series solutions of the elliptic and hyperbolic Kepler equations is described, adding to the handful of 1-D series that have been found throughout the centuries. This result is based on an iterative procedure for the analytical computation of all the higher-order partial derivatives of the eccentric anomaly with respect to the eccentricity $e$ and mean anomaly $M$ in a given base point $(e_c,M_c)$ of the $(e,M)$ plane. Explicit examples of such bivariate infinite series are provided, corresponding to different choices of $(e_c,M_c)$, and their convergence is studied numerically. In particular, the polynomials that are obtained by truncating the infinite series up to the fifth degree reach high levels of accuracy in significantly large regions of the parameter space $(e,M)$. Besides their theoretical interest, these series can be used for designing 2-D spline numerical algorithms for efficiently solving Kepler's equations for all values of the eccentricity and mean anomaly.