New Developments in the Dynamics of Planetary Systems2006

The papers in this volume cover a large range of questions concerning the dynamics of objects of the Solar System from theoretical Hamiltonian Mechanics to the study of the dynamical behaviour of specific objects with a strong emphasis on the detection, causes and effects of chaotic behaviour. Several papers describe the very latest contributions in two very lively topics; symplectic method of numerical integration of Hamiltonian systems and methods for special analysis of computed orbits leading to refined tools for the detection and evaluation of chaos. The dynamics of the asteroid belt and of NEOs (near Earth objects), two important topics with implications on the evolution of planetary systems and on the assessment of probabilities of catastrophic collisions, are also covered. This volume will be of interest to mathematicians and physicists interested in Hamiltonian mechanics and in the dynamics of planetary systems.