TY - JOUR
T1 - NIMASTEP: a software to modelize, study, and analyze the dynamics of various small objects orbiting specific bodies
T2 - http://www.fundp.ac.be/en/research/projects/page_view/10278201/
AU - Delsate, Nicolas
AU - Compere, Audrey
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - NIMASTEP is a dedicated numerical software developed by us, which allows one to integrate the osculating motion
(using cartesian coordinates) in a Newtonian approach of an object considered as a point-mass orbiting a homogeneous
central body that rotates with a constant rate around its axis of smallest inertia. The code can be applied to objects
such as particles, artificial or natural satellites or space debris. The central body can be either any terrestrial planet
of the solar system, any dwarf-planet, or even an asteroid. In addition, very many perturbations can be taken into
account, such as the combined third-body attraction of the Sun, the Moon, or the planets, the direct solar radiation
pressure (with the central body shadow), the non-homogeneous gravitational field caused by the non-sphericity of the
central body, and even some thrust forces. The simulations were performed using different integration algorithms. Two
additional tools were integrated in the software package; the indicator of chaos MEGNO and the frequency analysis
NAFF. NIMASTEP is designed in a flexible modular style and allows one to (de)select very many options without
compromising the performance. It also allows one to easily add other possibilities of use. The code has been validated
through several tests such as comparisons with numerical integrations made with other softwares or with semi-analytical
and analytical studies.
The various possibilities of NIMASTEP are described and explained and some tests of astrophysical interest are
presented. At present, the code is proprietary but it will be released for use by the community in the near future.
Information for contacting its authors and (in the near future) for obtaining the software are available on the web site
http://www.fundp.ac.be/en/research/projects/page_view/10278201/
AB - NIMASTEP is a dedicated numerical software developed by us, which allows one to integrate the osculating motion
(using cartesian coordinates) in a Newtonian approach of an object considered as a point-mass orbiting a homogeneous
central body that rotates with a constant rate around its axis of smallest inertia. The code can be applied to objects
such as particles, artificial or natural satellites or space debris. The central body can be either any terrestrial planet
of the solar system, any dwarf-planet, or even an asteroid. In addition, very many perturbations can be taken into
account, such as the combined third-body attraction of the Sun, the Moon, or the planets, the direct solar radiation
pressure (with the central body shadow), the non-homogeneous gravitational field caused by the non-sphericity of the
central body, and even some thrust forces. The simulations were performed using different integration algorithms. Two
additional tools were integrated in the software package; the indicator of chaos MEGNO and the frequency analysis
NAFF. NIMASTEP is designed in a flexible modular style and allows one to (de)select very many options without
compromising the performance. It also allows one to easily add other possibilities of use. The code has been validated
through several tests such as comparisons with numerical integrations made with other softwares or with semi-analytical
and analytical studies.
The various possibilities of NIMASTEP are described and explained and some tests of astrophysical interest are
presented. At present, the code is proprietary but it will be released for use by the community in the near future.
Information for contacting its authors and (in the near future) for obtaining the software are available on the web site
http://www.fundp.ac.be/en/research/projects/page_view/10278201/
KW - Methods: numerical - Gravitation - Celestial mechanics - Space vehicles
M3 - Article
SN - 0973-7758
SN - 1432-0746
VL - 540
JO - Astronomy and Astrophysics
JF - Astronomy and Astrophysics
ER -