Archie E. Roy - Böcker

The reader will find in this volume the Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute held in Cortina d' Ampezzo, Italy, between July 25 and August 6, 1993, under the title From Newton to Chaos: Modem Techniques for Understanding and Coping With Chaos inN-Body Dynamical Systems. This institute was the latest in a series of meetings held every three years from 1972 to 1990 in dynamical astronomy, theoretical mechanics and celestial mechanics. The proceedings from these institutes have been well-received in the international community of research workers in these disciplines. The present institute was well attended with 15 series of lectures being given by invited speakers: in addition some 40 presentations were made by the other participants. The majority of these contributions are included in these proceedings. The all-pervading influence of chaos in dynamical systems (of even a few variables) has now been universally recognised by researchers, a recognition forced on us by our ability, using powerful computer hardware and software, to tackle dynamical problems that until twenty-five years ago were intractable. Doubtless it was felt by many that these new techniques provided a break-through in celestial mechanics and its related disciplines. And so they were.

The study of the nature and dynamics of asteroids, comets, meteor streams, natural satellites and ring systems currently provides a wealth of information on the history and dynamical evolution of the solar system as a whole. This textbook, based on the recent "NATO ASI The Dynamics of Small Bodies in the Solar System" and written by the invited lecturers and other participants, provides a useful reference volume for students and researchers in these subjects. The contributions are introduced by specially written reviews from renowned experts in their fields. It is evident that the majority of dynamical astronomers and space researchers interested in solar system studies are currently involved with the study of small natural and artificial bodies in the solar system, and this volume presents them with an up-to-date, synoptic view of these subjects.

The reader will find in this volume the Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute held in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy between August 6 and August 17, 1990 under the title "Predictability, Stability, and Chaos in N-Body Dynamical Systems". The Institute was the latest in a series held at three-yearly inter­ vals from 1972 to 1987 in dynamical astronomy, theoretical mechanics and celestial mechanics. These previous institutes, held in high esteem by the international community of research workers, have resulted in a series of well-received Proceedings. The 1990 Institute attracted 74 participants from 16 countries, six outside the NATO group. Fifteen series of lectures were given by invited speakers; additionally some 40 valuable presentations were made by the younger participants, most of which are included in these Proceedings. The last twenty years in particular has been a time of increasingly rapid progress in tackling long-standing and also newly-arising problems in dynamics of N-body systems, point-mass and non-point-mass, a rate of progress achieved because of correspondingly rapid developments of new computer hardware and software together with the advent of new analytical techniques. It was a time of exciting progress culminating in the ability to carry out research programmes into the evolution of the outer Solar 8 System over periods of more than 10 years and to study star cluster and galactic models in unprecedented detail.

The reader will find in this volume the Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute held in Cortina d' Ampezzo, Italy, between July 25 and August 6, 1993, under the title From Newton to Chaos: Modem Techniques for Understanding and Coping With Chaos inN-Body Dynamical Systems. This institute was the latest in a series of meetings held every three years from 1972 to 1990 in dynamical astronomy, theoretical mechanics and celestial mechanics. The proceedings from these institutes have been well-received in the international community of research workers in these disciplines. The present institute was well attended with 15 series of lectures being given by invited speakers: in addition some 40 presentations were made by the other participants. The majority of these contributions are included in these proceedings. The all-pervading influence of chaos in dynamical systems (of even a few variables) has now been universally recognised by researchers, a recognition forced on us by our ability, using powerful computer hardware and software, to tackle dynamical problems that until twenty-five years ago were intractable. Doubtless it was felt by many that these new techniques provided a break-through in celestial mechanics and its related disciplines. And so they were.

The reader will find in this volume the Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute held in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy between August 3 and August 13, 1987 under the title "Long Term Dynamical Behaviour of Natural and Artificial N-body Systems". The Institute was the latest in a series held in 1972, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1984 in dynamical astronomy, theoretical mechanics and celestial mechanics under the Directorship of Professor Victor Szebehely. These previous institutes, held in high esteem by the international community of research workers, have resulted in a series of well-received and valuable Proceedings. In correspondence with Professor Szebehely and in long discussions with him in Colorado in August 1985, I agreed to his request that I undertake the preparation of a new ASI. I was happy to do so knowing I could call upon his vast experience in overseeing such ASI's. The last quarter century has been a period in which increasingly rapid progress has been made in celestial mechanics and related subjects not only because of the appearance of new problems urgently requiring solution but also because of the advent of new analytical techniques and powerful computer hardware and software.

The study of the nature and dynamics of asteroids, comets, meteor streams, natural satellites and ring systems currently provides a wealth of information on the history and dynamical evolution of the solar system as a whole. This state of the art textbook, based on the recent NATO ASI The Dynamics of Small Bodies in the Solar System and written by the invited lecturers and other participants, provides an invaluable reference volume for all students and researchers in these subjects. The contributions are introduced by specially written reviews from renowned experts in their fields. It is evident that the majority of dynamical astronomers and space researchers interested in solar system studies are currently involved with the study of small natural and artificial bodies in the solar system, and this volume presents them with an up-to-date, synoptic view of these subjects.