Equation 2 · Part 1 · How Planetary Science and Exploration Actually Work

Symbol C_22

C_{22}

C_{22}

What this part means

$C_2$ 2 is a part of this expression. Its role is fixed by the surrounding article and by the operations shown in the formula.

Its job in the formula

$C_2$ 2 is a part of this expression. Its role is fixed by the surrounding article and by the operations shown in the formula.

Full expressionSymbol C_22Article meaning

The passage around this formula

…as the spacecraft accelerates and decelerates along its orbit. A denser, non-uniformly distributed interior produces small, characteristic deviations from a simple point-mass orbit, expressed as gravity harmonics ( $J_2$ , $C_{22}$ , and higher terms) layered on top of the dominant 1/ $r^2$ term. From those harmonics and the body’s known radius and rotation, one can compute the moment of inertia factor ,

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Learn the underlying idea

A subscript is a label attached below a symbol. It often selects a time step, component, category, or member of a sequence.

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Sources cited in the article section

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