Determination of Visual Double Star Orbits by Means of Genetic Algorithms

Abstract

Based on genetic algorithms (GA), three methods are proposed for the calculation of visual double star orbits: 1) the program developed by CHARA; 2) seven orbital parameters are determined by means of GA; 3) the least-square method is used for the calculation of the major semiaxis and the longitude of the ascending node, the rest five unknown quantities are found by GA. The methods are tested on model data. Two programming languages, Pascal and PHP, are used. The methods are applied to the bright stars Castor and Sirius