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Main Authors: Ye, Bobing, Zhang, Xuefeng
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.19491
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author Ye, Bobing
Zhang, Xuefeng
author_facet Ye, Bobing
Zhang, Xuefeng
contents TianQin is a proposed space-based gravitational-wave observatory mission that critically relies on the stability of an equilateral-triangle constellation. Comprising three satellites in high Earth orbits of a $ 10^5 $ km radius, this constellation's geometric configuration is significantly affected by gravitational perturbations, primarily originating from the Moon and the Sun. In this paper, we present an analytical model to quantify the effects of lunisolar perturbations on the TianQin constellation, derived using Lagrange's planetary equations. The model provides expressions for three kinematic indicators of the constellation: arm-lengths, relative line-of-sight velocities, and breathing angles. Analysis of these indicators reveals that lunisolar perturbations can distort the constellation triangle, resulting in three distinct variations: linear drift, bias, and fluctuation. Furthermore, it is shown that these distortions can be optimized to display solely fluctuating behavior, under certain predefined conditions. These results can serve as the theoretical foundation for numerical simulations and offer insights for engineering a stable constellation in the future.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2403_19491
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Effects of lunisolar perturbations on TianQin constellation: An analytical model
Ye, Bobing
Zhang, Xuefeng
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
TianQin is a proposed space-based gravitational-wave observatory mission that critically relies on the stability of an equilateral-triangle constellation. Comprising three satellites in high Earth orbits of a $ 10^5 $ km radius, this constellation's geometric configuration is significantly affected by gravitational perturbations, primarily originating from the Moon and the Sun. In this paper, we present an analytical model to quantify the effects of lunisolar perturbations on the TianQin constellation, derived using Lagrange's planetary equations. The model provides expressions for three kinematic indicators of the constellation: arm-lengths, relative line-of-sight velocities, and breathing angles. Analysis of these indicators reveals that lunisolar perturbations can distort the constellation triangle, resulting in three distinct variations: linear drift, bias, and fluctuation. Furthermore, it is shown that these distortions can be optimized to display solely fluctuating behavior, under certain predefined conditions. These results can serve as the theoretical foundation for numerical simulations and offer insights for engineering a stable constellation in the future.
title Effects of lunisolar perturbations on TianQin constellation: An analytical model
topic General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.19491