# 5.1. Integrator Settings¶

As the name suggests, the integrator settings tell the dynamics simulator how to integrate numerically the equations of motion that govern the orbital mechanics to simulate. The IntegratorSettings are defined using two derived classes, depending on whether the integrator to be used is a fixed step-size integrator or a variable step-size integrator.

class IntegratorSettings

This class is used to define the settings for fixed step-size integration. The constructor for this base class is:

IntegratorSettings<TimeType>( integratorType,
simulationStartEpoch,
fixedStepSize )


where:

• TimeType

Template argument used to set the precision of the time, in general double is used. For some application where a high precision is required this can be changed to e.g. :literallong double.

• integratorType

AvailableIntegrators which defines the fixed step-size integrator type to be used. Currently the only options available are euler and rungeKutta4.

• simulationStartEpoch

TimeType that defines the simulation’s start epoch.

• fixedStepSize

TimeType that defines the fixed step-size to be used either by the euler or the rungeKutta4 numerical integrator.

class RungeKuttaVariableStepSizeSettings

This class is used to define the settings for variable step-size integration. The constructor for this derived class is:

RungeKuttaVariableStepSizeSettings<TimeType>( integratorType,
simulationStartEpoch,
initialTimeStep,
coefficientSet,
minimumStepSize,
maximumStepSize,
relativeErrorTolerence,
absoluteErrorTolerence )


where:

• TimeType

Template argument used to set the precision of the time, in general double is used. For some application where a high precision is required this can be changed to e.g. :literallong double.

• integratorType

AvailableIntegrators which defines the fixed step-size integrator type to be used. The only option available is rungeKuttaVariableStepSize.

• simulationStartEpoch

TimeType that defines the simulation’s initial time. It must be a double variable-type.

• initialTimeStep

TimeType that defines the initial step-size to be used either by the rungeKuttaVariableStepSize numerical integrator. It must be a double variable-type.

• coefficientSet

RungeKuttaCoefficients::CoefficientSets that defines the coefficient set to be used by the rungeKuttaVariableStepSize numerical integrator. The list of available coefficient sets is given in Integrators.

• minimumStepSize

TimeType that defines the minimum step-size that the rungeKuttaVariableStepSize numerical integrator can take.

• maximumStepSize

TimeType that defines the maximum step-size that the rungeKuttaVariableStepSize numerical integrator can take.

• relativeErrorTolerance

TimeType that defines the relative error tolerance for step size control of the rungeKuttaVariableStepSize numerical integrator.

• absoluteErrorTolerance

TimeType that defines the absolute error tolerance for step size control of the rungeKuttaVariableStepSize numerical integrator.

Note

Aside from the arguments listed in this page, the IntegratorSettings class and derived classes described here offer a number of optional arguments. The reader is advised to examine the Doxygen documentation included in the code for further details.

Warning

Make sure that a compatible integratorType is selected, otherwise a runtime exception will be thrown.