
15 Dynamics of the Rigid Solid with a Fixed Point
Multiplying the first equation (15.1.40) by
11
/Iω , the second one by
22
/Iω and the
third one by
33
/Iω and summing, it results
23 3112
11 22 33 123
123
II IIII
III
ωω ωω ωω ωωω
−−−
⎛⎞
++= + +
⎜⎟
⎝⎠
or
()()()
122313
123
123
IIIIII
III
ωω ω ω ω
−−−
=
.
(15.1.57)
Taking into account (15.1.56), we obtain, finally,
()
()()()
2
222222
123
d
22
d
t
ω
ωω ωγωγωγ
==±−−−
,
(15.1.57')
where we take the sign
+ or the sign − as
2
ω increases or decreases in time. The
magnitude of the angular velocity vector
ω can be thus expressed by means of
Weierstrass’s elliptic function
()tP , having thus a real period; we notice that
2
ω has
values contained between
()
22
13
min ,γγ and
2
2
γ . Unlike F. Lindemann, who uses
Jacobi’s functions, J. Haug presents thus another approach (with a certain symmetry
character) of Euler’s problem for the rigid solid with a fixed point, which – obviously –
leads to the same results.
15.1.2.2 Determination of the Position of the Rigid Solid
To specify the position of the movable frame of reference
R (hence, of the rigid solid)
with respect to the fixed frame
′
R it is sufficient to determine Euler’s angles ψ, θ and
ϕ. We notice that, during the motion, the moment of momentum with respect to the
pole
O, in the inertial frame of reference, is conserved in time ( const
O
′
=
K ); without
any loss of generality, we can choose the
3
Ox
′
-axis along the direction of this vector, so
that
3
OO
K
′′′
=Ki. The direction cosines of the unit vector
3
′
i with respect to the frame
R are thus /
i
Oi O
KKα
′′
= , 1, 2, 3i = ; taking into account the relations (5.2.36) and
the relations
11
1
O
KIω
′
= ,
22
2
O
KIω
′
= ,
33
3
O
KIω
′
= ,
O
KIΩ
′
= , we may write
11
sin sinIIωΩθϕ= ,
22
sin cosIIωΩθϕ= ,
33
cosIIωΩθ= .
(15.1.58)
The angles
θ and ϕ are obtained easily, being given by
22 22
11 22
33
tan
II
I
ωω
θ
ω
+
=
,
11
22
tan
I
I
ω
ϕ
ω
= .
(15.1.59)
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