Post-Keplerian perturbations of the hyperbolic motion in the field of a rotating massive object. Analysis in terms of osculating and nonosculating (contact) elements

TL;DR

This paper derives analytical formulas for the relativistic perturbations affecting hyperbolic trajectories around rotating massive bodies, applicable to objects like interstellar asteroids and spacecraft, considering various gravitational effects.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analytical framework for post-Newtonian perturbations of hyperbolic motion in rotating gravitational fields, including osculating and nonosculating elements, for arbitrary orientations and eccentricities.

Findings

Analytical expressions for relativistic perturbations are derived.

Formulas are applicable to real-world objects like 'Oumuamua and spacecraft.

The approach can be extended to alternative gravity models.

Abstract

The perturbations of the hyperbolic motion of a test particle due to the general relativistic gravitoelectromagnetic Schwarzschild and Lense-Thirring components of the gravitational field of a rotating massive body are analytically worked out to the first post-Newtonian level in terms of the osculating Keplerian orbital elements. To the Newtonian order, the impact of the quadrupole mass moment of the source is calculated as well. The resulting analytical expressions are valid for a generic orientation in space of both the orbital plane of the probe and the spin axis of the primary, and for arbitrary values of the eccentricity. They are applied to 'Oumuamua, an interstellar asteroid which recently visited our solar system along an unbound heliocentric orbit, and to the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft during its flyby of the Earth. The calculational approach developed can be straightforwardly extended to any alternative models of gravity as well.