The Dynamics of Two Coupled Rigid Bodies

Grossman, R., P. S. Krishnaprasad, and J. E. Marsden

Dyn. Sys. Appr. to Nonlinear Prob. in Sys. and Cir., SIAM, 373-378

Abstract:

In this paper we derive a Poisson bracket on the phase space so(3)^* x so(3)^* x SO(3) such that the dynamics of two three-dimensional rigid bodies coupled by a ball and socket joint can be written as a Hamiltonian system.