Explicit Solution of the Zhukovski–Volterra Gyrostat

    2009, Volume 14, Number 2, pp.  223-236

    Author(s): Basak I.

    The paper is devoted to explicit integration of the classical generalization of the Euler top: the Zhukovski–Volterra system describing the free motion of a gyrostat. We revise the solution for the components of the angular momentum first obtained by Volterra in [1] and present an alternative solution based on an algebraic parametrization of the invariant curves. This also enables us to derive an effective description of the motion of the body in space.
    Keywords: rigid body dynamics, explicit integration, elliptic curves
    Citation: Basak I., Explicit Solution of the Zhukovski–Volterra Gyrostat, Regular and Chaotic Dynamics, 2009, Volume 14, Number 2, pp. 223-236



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