Define a body frame ea(t),a=1,2,3 of a rotating rigid body, and show that there exists a vector ω=(ω1,ω2,ω3) such that
e˙a=ω×ea
Let L=I1ω1(t)e1+I2ω2(t)e2+I3ω3(t)e3 be the angular momentum of a free rigid body expressed in the body frame. Derive the Euler equations from the conservation of angular momentum.
Verify that the kinetic energy E, and the total angular momentum L2 are conserved. Hence show that
ω˙32=f(ω3),
where f(ω3) is a quartic polynomial which should be explicitly determined in terms of L2 and E.