We develop Hamilton-Jacobi theory for Chaplygin systems, a certain class of nonholonomic mechanical systems with symmetries, using a technique called Hamiltonization, which transforms nonholonomic systems into Hamiltonian systems. We give a geometric account of the Hamiltonization, identify necessary and sufficient conditions for Hamiltonization, and apply the conventional Hamilton-Jacobi theory to the Hamiltonized systems. We show, under a certain sufficient condition for Hamiltonization, that the solutions to the Hamilton-Jacobi equation associated with the Hamiltonized system also solve the nonholonomic Hamilton-Jacobi equation associated with the original Chaplygin system. The results are illustrated through several examples.
This paper studies hamiltonization of nonholonomic systems using geometric tools. By making use of symmetries and suitable first integrals of the system, we explicitly define a global 2-form for which the gauge transformed nonholonomic bracket gives rise to a new bracket on the reduced space codifying the nonholonomic dynamics and carrying an almost symplectic foliation (determined by the common level sets of the first integrals). In appropriate coordinates, this 2-form is shown to agree with the one previously introduced locally in [34]. We use our coordinate-free viewpoint to study various g…
We discuss a non-Hamiltonian vector field appearing in consideration of a partial motion of the Chaplygin ball rolling on a horizontal plane which rotates with constant angular velocity. In two partial cases this vector field is expressed via Hamiltonian vector fields using a non-algebraic deformation of the canonical Poisson bivector on e^*(3). For the symmetric ball we also calculate variables of separation, compatible Poisson brackets, algebra of Haantjes operators and 2x2 Lax matrices.
In this paper we study the relation between conserved quantities of nonholonomic systems and the hamiltonization problem employing the geometric methods of [1,3]. We illustrate the theory with classical examples describing the dynamics of solids of revolution rolling without sliding on a plane. In these cases, using the existence of two conserved quantities we obtain, by means of 'gauge transformations' and symmetry reduction, genuine Poisson brackets describing the reduced dynamics.
The rolling of a dynamically balanced ball on a horizontal rough table without slipping was described by Chaplygin using Abel quadratures. We discuss integrable discretizations and deformations of this nonholonomic system using the same Abel quadratures. As a by-product one gets new geodesic flow on the unit two-dimensional sphere whose additional integrals of motion are polynomials in the momenta of fourth order.
A generalisation of Chaplygin's Reducing Multiplier Theorem is given by providing sufficient conditions for the Hamiltonisation of Chaplygin nonholonomic systems with an arbitrary number $r$ of degrees of freedom via Chaplygin's multiplier method. The crucial point in the construction is to add an hypothesis of geometric nature that controls the interplay between the kinetic energy metric and the non-integrability of the constraint distribution. Such hypothesis can be systematically examined in concrete examples, and is automatically satisfied in the case $r= 2$ encountered in the original for…
We consider nonholonomic Chaplygin systems and associate to them a $(1,2)$ tensor field on the shape space, that we term the gyroscopic tensor, and that measures the interplay between the non-integrability of the constraint distribution and the kinetic energy metric. We show how this tensor may be naturally used to derive an almost symplectic description of the reduced dynamics. Moreover, we express sufficient conditions for measure preservation and Hamiltonisation via Chaplygin's reducing multiplier method in terms of the properties of this tensor. The theory is used to give a new proof of th…
We study relations between vakonomically and nonholonomically constrained Lagrangian dynamics for the same set of linear constraints. The basic idea is to compare both situations at the level of variational principles, not equations of motion as has been done so far. The method seems to be quite powerful and effective. In particular, it allows to derive, interpret and generalize many known results on non-Abelian Chaplygin systems. We apply it also to a class of systems on Lie groups with a left-invariant constraints distribution. Concrete examples of the unicycle in a potential field, the two-…
We consider the possibility of using Dirac's ideas of the deformation of Poisson brackets in nonholonomic mechanics. As an example, we analyze the composition of external forces that do no work and reaction forces of nonintegrable constraints in the model of a nonholonomic Chaplygin sphere on a plane. We prove that, when a solenoidal field is applied, the general mechanical energy, the invariant measure and the conformally Hamiltonian representation of the equations of motion are preserved. In addition, we consider the case of motion of the nonholonomic Chaplygin sphere in a constant magnetic …
We study a time reparametrisation of the Newton type equations on Riemannian manifolds slightly modifying the Chaplygin multiplier method, allowing us to consider the Chaplygin method and the Maupertuis principle within a unified framework. As an example, the reduced nonholonomic problem of rolling without slipping and twisting of an $n$-dimensional balanced ball over a fixed sphere is considered. For a special inertia operator (depending on $n$ parameters) we prove complete integrability when the radius of the ball is twice the radius of the sphere. In the case of $SO(l)\times SO(n-l)$ symmet…
