- The "universal" elements are those which define the orbit for the
purposes of the method of universal variables (see reference).
They consist of the combined mass of the two bodies, an epoch,
and the position and velocity vectors (arbitrary reference frame)
at that epoch. The parameter set used here includes also various
quantities that can, in fact, be derived from the other
information. This approach is taken to avoiding unnecessary
computation and loss of accuracy. The supplementary quantities
are (i) alpha, which is proportional to the total energy of the
orbit, (ii) the heliocentric distance at epoch, (iii) the
outwards component of the velocity at the given epoch, (iv) an
estimate of psi, the "universal eccentric anomaly" at a given
date and (v) that date.
- The companion routine is palUe2pv. This takes the set of numbers
that the present routine outputs and uses them to derive the
object's position and velocity. A single prediction requires one
call to the present routine followed by one call to palUe2pv;
for convenience, the two calls are packaged as the routine
palPlanel. Multiple predictions may be made by again calling the
present routine once, but then calling palUe2pv multiple times,
which is faster than multiple calls to palPlanel.
- DATE is the epoch of osculation. It is in the TT timescale
(formerly Ephemeris Time, ET) and is a Modified Julian Date
(JD-2400000.5).
- The supplied orbital elements are with respect to the J2000
ecliptic and equinox. The position and velocity parameters
returned in the array U are with respect to the mean equator and
equinox of epoch J2000, and are for the perihelion prior to the
specified epoch.
- The universal elements returned in the array U are in canonical
units (solar masses, AU and canonical days).
- Three different element-format options are available:
Option JFORM=1, suitable for the major planets:
EPOCH = epoch of elements (TT MJD)
ORBINC = inclination i (radians)
ANODE = longitude of the ascending node, big omega (radians)
PERIH = longitude of perihelion, curly pi (radians)
AORQ = mean distance, a (AU)
E = eccentricity, e (range 0 to
1)
AORL = mean longitude L (radians)
DM = daily motion (radians)
Option JFORM=2, suitable for minor planets:
EPOCH = epoch of elements (TT MJD)
ORBINC = inclination i (radians)
ANODE = longitude of the ascending node, big omega (radians)
PERIH = argument of perihelion, little omega (radians)
AORQ = mean distance, a (AU)
E = eccentricity, e (range 0 to
1)
AORL = mean anomaly M (radians)
Option JFORM=3, suitable for comets:
EPOCH = epoch of perihelion (TT MJD)
ORBINC = inclination i (radians)
ANODE = longitude of the ascending node, big omega (radians)
PERIH = argument of perihelion, little omega (radians)
AORQ = perihelion distance, q (AU)
E = eccentricity, e (range 0 to 10)
- Unused elements (DM for JFORM=2, AORL and DM for JFORM=3) are
not accessed.
- The algorithm was originally adapted from the EPHSLA program of
D.H.P.Jones (private communication, 1996). The method is based
on Stumpff's Universal Variables.