Engineering topics

Lyttleton, R. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Lyttleton, R. A..

34 records · Page 2

NASA NTRS1972

On the formation of planets from a solar nebula.

Effects that will bring the whole of the dust component of the nebula into the form of an extremely thin disk in the equatorial plane of the system are pointed out, and the final thickness of the dust-disk is investigated. Aspects of the gravitational development of the dust-disk are discussed together with the range of gravitational influence of a planet, the rate of mass increase of a planet, questions of the multiple formation of planets, the angular momentum of planets formed, the angular momentum of a planet growing from the dust disk, the rate of addition of energy to the planet, and problems of the formation of the four outer planets.

Lyttleton, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Reality of comet nucleus.

The prime problem of a comet mission must be to settle whether the cometary nucleus has an actual tangible material existence, or whether it arises from some optical effect present only at times within comets. The absence of any large particles in a comet seems to be demonstrated by certain meteor showers. A feature that would seem to indicate that a comet consists primarily of a swarm of particles is that the coma in general contracts as the comet approaches the sun, roughly in proportion within the distance, and then expands again as it recedes.

Lyttleton, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1972

A new solution to the accretion problem.

The Bondi-Hoyle theory of line-accretion is briefly reviewed, and it is shown that there are an infinity of steady-state solutions satisfying the requirements originally imposed as boundary conditions. Questions are raised as to the applicability of these solutions to physical reality. The existence of an entirely different type of steady-state solution that implies slow velocity in the accretion stream beyond the neutral point is demonstrated. Accurate numerical values of this solution are obtained for a number of cases. The braking action given by this solution, for any selected cut-off distance, is far stronger than in the Bondi-Hoyle solution. Consideration of the physical state in the accretion stream shows that for this slow solution the appropriate cutoff range would be only of the order of 100 AU rather than of interstellar-distance order.

Lyttleton, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1970