New Effects in Dynamics of Rattlebacks

摘要

The dynamics of a rattleback simulated by a heavy balanced ellipsoid of revolution rolling without sliding on a fixed horizontal plane is studied. The central ellipsoid of inertia is also an ellipsoid of revolution. In the presence of an angular misalignment between the two ellipsoids (characterizing the dynamic asymmetry of the body), new dynamic effects similar to the reverse phenomena in rattleback dynamics can be observed. However, in contrast to the conventional rattleback model in the form of a truncated biaxial paraboloid, the considered formulation allows motions representing the superposition of reverse motion (reversal of the spinning direction) and turnover (reversal of the spin axes). At appropriate values of energy and mass distributions, the reverse and turnover effect can occur many times. Such motions as repeated turnover or repeated reverse are also possible.