Projected mass lower bound for a bound point-mass orbit

ID: projected-mass-lower-bound-for-a-bound-point-mass-orbit

For a bound Kepler orbit, specific orbital energy is negative. Therefore . A projected separation and a systemic-motion-corrected line-of-sight speed give the displayed lower bound. One position and one spectral velocity already constrain the mass in this model; a fitted orbit gives much more. The bound assumes a bound orbit in a point-mass potential; it is not an unrestricted enclosed-mass formula for an arbitrary extended potential.

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