A note on the proof of Bertrand's theorem

Abstract

In this paper we fill a common gap in the proof of Bertrand' theorem present both the in Bertrand's original paper Théorème relatif au movement d'un point attiré vers un centre fixe and in the Arnold's book Mathematical methods of classical mechanics, by providing missing details which pertain to the problem of how to single out elastic and gravitational potentials among the power law ones.

Keywords

• Newtonian mechanics
• central forces
• closed orbits