The monotonicity of the apsidal angle using the theory of potential oscillators

Abstract

In a central force system the angle between two successive passages of a body through pericenters is called the apsidal angle. In this paper we prove that for central forces of the form $f(r)\sim \lambda r^{-(\alpha+1)}$ with $\alpha<2$ the apsidal angle is a monotonous function of the energy, or equivalently of the orbital eccentricity.