Euler's equations for the angular velocity ω=(ω1,ω2,ω3) of a rigid body, viewed in the body frame, are
I1dtdω1=(I2−I3)ω2ω3
and cyclic permutations, where the principal moments of inertia are assumed to obey I1<I2<I3.
Write down two quadratic first integrals of the motion.
There is a family of solutions ω(t), unique up to time-translations t→(t−t0), which obey the boundary conditions ω→(0,Ω,0) as t→−∞ and ω→(0,−Ω,0) as t→∞, for a given positive constant Ω. Show that, for such a solution, one has
L2=2EI2,
where L is the angular momentum and E is the kinetic energy.
By eliminating ω1 and ω3 in favour of ω2, or otherwise, show that, in this case, the second Euler equation reduces to
dτds=1−s2
where s=ω2/Ω and τ=Ωt[(I1−I2)(I2−I3)/I1I3]1/2. Find the general solution s(τ).
[You are not expected to calculate ω1(t) or ω3(t).]