Table of Contents

Preface; 1. Structure of the solar system; 2. The two-body problem; 3. The restricted three-body problem; 4. Tides, rotation and shape; 5. Spin-orbit coupling; 6. The disturbing function; 7. Secular perturbations; 8. Resonant perturbations; 9. Chaos and long-term evolution; 10. Planetary rings; Appendix A. Solar system data; Appendix B. Expansion of the disturbing function; Index.

Promotional Information

The first comprehensive introduction to the dynamics of the Solar System - includes free Internet Mathematica® software package.

Reviews

'The need for a new and exhaustive book in solar system dynamics is wonderfully met by [this] text … stimulating, well-written, and informative, it discusses in a masterly way every significant and exciting recent development in the subject. The authors' crystal-clear exposition … is greatly helped by the inclusion of the necessary classical background... [and] cleverly constructed problems … [this] book will undoubtedly take its place with previously acknowledged leaders in its field. It will become indispensable to undergraduate and postgraduate students and to the serious researcher.' Archie E. Roy, University of Glasgow

' … achieves the seemingly impossible by taking us from the first historical formulations … through to the [latest] advances proferred … A well written and indexed book; an 'absolute must' for any graduate student and researcher in Solar System and Planetary Studies'. J. A. M. McDonnell, University of Kent, Canterbury

'Solar System Dynamics is excellent reading for anyone who wants to learn how meteorites get to Earth, why Mercury spins 3 times for each 2 orbits, and how Io's volcanism is powered. I plan to adopt it for my course on planetary physics. Peter Goldreich, California Institute of Technology

' … the first textbook to describe the powerful new analytic and numerical methods in planetary dynamics, and one of the most important textbooks in this field in several decades. It will be read by every serious student of solar system dynamics.' Scott Tremaine, Princeton University

' … a lucid textbook and a comprehensive reference … An authoritative work of this type is long overdue and this one should remain a classic in the field for years to come.' Donald K. Yeomans, NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory

' … likely to become the standard graduate-level text in this field. I wish I'd had it when I started out in solar system dynamics.' Martin J. Duncan, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario

'This book beautifully bridges the gap between the old and the new celestial mechanics …'. Brian G. Marsden, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

'If you want to know (literally) what's rockin' and rollin' in the solar system, this is the book … refreshingly clear and understandable.' Carolyn C. Porco, University of Arizona, Tucson

'This is a first class text book and a thought provoking reference source.' Peter Mata, Spaceflight

'The subject of planetary dynamics will greatly benefit from the publication of Murray and Dermott's textbook.' Irish Astronomical Journal

'… a benchmark publication in the field of planetary dynamics and destined to become a classic'. Europe & Astronomy