Numerical Exploration of Chermnykh’s Problem

We study the equilibrium points and the zero-velocity curves of Chermnykh’s problem when the angular velocity ω varies continuously and the value of the mass parameter is fixed. The planar symmetric simple-periodic orbits are determined numerically and they are presented for three values of the parameter ω. The stability of the periodic orbits of all the families is computed. Particularly, we explore the network of the families when the angular velocity has the critical value ω = 2√2 at which the triangular equilibria disappear by coalescing with the collinear equilibrium point L₁. The analytic determination of the initial conditions of the family which emanate from the Lagrangian libration point L₁ in this case, is given. Non-periodic orbits, as points on a surface of section, providing an outlook of the stability regions, chaotic and escape motions as well as multiple-periodic orbits, are also computed. Non-linear stability zones of the triangular Lagrangian points are computed numerically for the Earth–Moon and Sun–Jupiter mass distribution when the angular velocity varies.     

Vertical stability of periodic solutions around the triangular equilibrium points

The vertical stability character of the families of short and long period solutions around the triangular equilibrium points of the restricted three-body problem is examined. For three values of the mass parameter less than equal to the critical value of Routh (μ _R ) i.e. for μ = 0.000953875 (Sun-Jupiter), μ = 0.01215 (Earth-Moon) and μ = μ _R = 0.038521, it is found that all such solutions are vertically stable. For μ > (μ _R ) vertical stability is studied for a number of ‘limiting’ orbits extended to μ = 0.45. The last limiting orbit computed by Deprit for μ = 0.044 is continued to a family of periodic orbits into which the well known families of long and short period solutions merge. The stability characteristics of this family are also studied.     

Asymptotic orbits in the (<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>+1)-body ring problem

In this paper we study the asymptotic solutions of the (N+1)-body ring planar problem, N of which are finite and ν=N−1 are moving in circular orbits around their center of masses, while the Nth+1 body is infinitesimal. ν of the primaries have equal masses m and the Nth most-massive primary, with m ₀=β m, is located at the origin of the system. We found the invariant unstable and stable manifolds around hyperbolic Lyapunov periodic orbits, which emanate from the collinear equilibrium points L ₁ and L ₂. We construct numerically, from the intersection points of the appropriate Poincaré cuts, homoclinic symmetric asymptotic orbits around these Lyapunov periodic orbits. There are families of symmetric simple-periodic orbits which contain as terminal points asymptotic orbits which intersect the x-axis perpendicularly and tend asymptotically to equilibrium points of the problem spiraling into (and out of) these points. All these families, for a fixed value of the mass parameter β=2, are found and presented. The eighteen (more geometrically simple) families and the corresponding eighteen terminating homo- and heteroclinic symmetric asymptotic orbits are illustrated. The stability of these families is computed and also presented.     

Motion Around The Triangular Equilibrium Points Of The Restricted Three-Body Problem Under Angular Velocity Variation

We study numerically the asymmetric periodic orbits which emanate from the triangular equilibrium points of the restricted three-body problem under the assumption that the angular velocity ω varies and for the Sun–Jupiter mass distribution. The symmetric periodic orbits emanating from the collinear Lagrangian point L ₃, which are related to them, are also examined. The analytic determination of the initial conditions of the long- and short-period Trojan families around the equilibrium points, is given. The corresponding families were examined, for a combination of the mass ratio and the angular velocity (case of equal eigenfrequencies), and also for the critical value ω = 2

Critical symmetric periodic orbits in the photogravitational restricted three-body problem

In this paper, we determine series of horizontally critical symmetric periodic orbits of the six basic families, f,g,h,i,l,m, of the photogravitational restricted three-body problem, and computetheir vertical stability. We restrict our study in the case where only the first primary is radiating, namely q ₁≠1 andq ₂=1. We also compare our results with those of Hénon and Guyot (1970) so as to study the effect of radiation to this kind of orbits. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Homoclinic and heteroclinic orbits in the photogravitational restricted three-body problem

We study numerically the asymptotic homoclinic and heteroclinic orbits around the hyperbolic Lyapunov periodic orbits which emanate from Euler's critical points L ₁ and L ₂, in the photogravitational restricted plane circular three-body problem. The invariant stable-unstable manifolds associated to these Lyapunov orbits, are also presented. Poincaré surface of sections of these manifolds on appropriate planes and several homoclinic and heteroclinic orbits for the gravitational case as well as for varying radiation factor q ₁, are displayed. Homoclinic-homoclinic and homoclinic-heteroclinic-homoclinic chains which link the interior with the exterior Hill's regions, are illustrated. We adopt the Sun-Jupiter system and assume that only the larger primary radiates. It is found that for small deviations of its value from the gravitational case (q ₁ = 1), the radiation pressure exerts a significant impact on the Hill's regions and on these asymptotic orbits.     

The manifolds of families of 3D periodic orbits associated to Sitnikov motions in the restricted three-body problem

This paper deals with the Sitnikov family of straight-line motions of the circular restricted three-body problem, viewed as generator of families of three-dimensional periodic orbits. We study the linear stability of the family, determine several new critical orbits at which families of three dimensional periodic orbits of the same or double period bifurcate and present an extensive numerical exploration of the bifurcating families. In the case of the same period bifurcations, 44 families are determined. All these families are computed for equal as well as for nearly equal primaries (μ = 0.5, μ = 0.4995). Some of the bifurcating families are determined for all values of the mass parameter μ for which they exist. Examples of families of three dimensional periodic orbits bifurcating from the Sitnikov family at double period bifurcations are also given. These are the only families of three-dimensional periodic orbits presented in the paper which do not terminate with coplanar orbits and some of them contain stable parts. By contrast, all families bifurcating at single-period bifurcations consist entirely of unstable orbits and terminate with coplanar orbits.     

The effect of solar radiation pressure on the Lagrangian points in the elliptic restricted three-body problem

In this paper the effect of solar radiation pressure on the location and stability of the five Lagrangian points is studied, within the frame of elliptic restricted three-body problem, where the primaries are the Sun and Jupiter acting on a particle of negligible mass. We found that the radiation pressure plays the rule of slightly reducing the effective mass of the Sun and changes the location of the Lagrangian points. New formulas for the location of the collinear libration points were derived. For large values of the force ratio β, we found that at β=0.12, the collinear point L₃ is stable and some families of periodic orbits can be drawn around it.     

Asymptotic Orbits at the Triangular Equilibria in the Photogravitational Restricted Three-Body Problem

We study numerically the asymptotic homoclinic and heteroclinic orbits associated with the triangular equilibrium points L ₄ and L ₅, in the gravitational and the photogravitational restricted plane circular three-body problem. The invariant stable-unstable manifolds associated to these critical points, are also presented. Hundreds of asymptotic orbits for equal mass of the primaries and for various values of the radiation pressure are computed and the most interesting of them are illustrated. In the Copenhagen case, which the problem is symmetric with respect to the x- and y-axis, we found and present non-symmetric heteroclinic asymptotic orbits. So pairs of heteroclinic connections (from L ₄ to L ₅ and vice versa) form non-symmetric heteroclinic cycles. The termination orbits (a combination of two asymptotic orbits) of all the simple families of symmetric periodic orbits, in the Copenhagen case, are illustrated.     

Periodic orbits and bifurcations in the Sitnikov four-body problem

We study the existence, linear stability and bifurcations of what we call the Sitnikov family of straight line periodic orbits in the case of the restricted four-body problem, where the three equal mass primary bodies are rotating on a circle and the fourth (small body) is moving in the direction vertical to the center mass of the other three. In contrast to the restricted three-body Sitnikov problem, where the Sitnikov family has infinitely many stability intervals (hence infinitely many Sitnikov critical orbits), as the “family parameter” ż₀ varies within a finite interval (while z ₀ tends to infinity), in the four-body problem this family has only one stability interval and only twelve 3-dimensional (3D) families of symmetric periodic orbits exist which bifurcate from twelve corresponding critical Sitnikov periodic orbits. We also calculate the evolution of the characteristic curves of these 3D branch-families and determine their stability. More importantly, we study the phase space dynamics in the vicinity of these orbits in two ways: First, we use the SALI index to investigate the extent of bounded motion of the small particle off the z-axis along its interval of stable Sitnikov orbits, and secondly, through suitably chosen Poincaré maps, we chart the motion near one of the 3D families of plane-symmetric periodic orbits. Our study reveals in both cases a fascinating structure of ordered motion surrounded by “sticky” and chaotic orbits as well as orbits which rapidly escape to infinity.     

Hamiltonian Stability of Spin–Orbit Resonances in Celestial Mechanics

The behaviour of ‘resonances’ in the spin-orbit coupling in celestial mechanics is investigated in a conservative setting. We consider a Hamiltonian nearly-integrable model describing an approximation of the spin-orbit interaction. The continuous system is reduced to a mapping by integrating the equations of motion through a symplectic algorithm. We study numerically the stability of periodic orbits associated to the above mapping by looking at the eigenvalues of the matrix of the linearized map over the full cycle of the periodic orbit. In particular, the value of the trace of the matrix is related to the stability character of the periodic orbit. We denote by ε_* (p/q) the value of the perturbing parameter at which a given elliptic periodic orbit with frequency p/q becomes unstable. A plot of the critical function ε_* (p/q) versus the frequency at different orbital eccentricities shows significant peaks at the synchronous resonance (for low eccentricities) and at the synchronous and 3:2 resonances (at higher eccentricities) in good agreement with astronomical observations. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Motion close to the Hopf Bifurcation Of the vertical family of periodic orbits of L4

The paper deals with different kinds of invariant motions (periodic orbits, 2D and 3D invariant tori and invariant manifolds of periodic orbits) in order to analyze the Hamiltonian direct Hopf bifurcation that takes place close to the Lyapunov vertical family of periodic orbits of the triangular equilibrium point L₄ in the 3D restricted three-body problem (RTBP) for the mass parameter, μ greater than (and close to) μ_R (Routh’s mass parameter). Consequences of such bifurcation, concerning the confinement of the motion close to the hyperbolic orbits and the 3D nearby tori are also described.     

Three-dimensional bifurcations of periodic solutions around the triangular equilibrium points of the restricted three-body problem

Vertically critical, planar periodic solutions around the triangular equilibrium points of the Restricted Three-Body Problem are found to exist for values of the mass parameter in the interval [0.03, 0.5]. Four series of such solutions are computed. The families of three-dimensional periodic solutions that branch off these critical orbits are computed for µ = 0.3 and are continued till their end. All orbits of these families are unstable.     

Periodic solutions around the collinear langrangian points in the photo gravitational restricted three-body problem: Sun-Jupiter case

The evolution of the periodic orbits around the collinear equilibrium positions, belonging to the Strömgren families a, b and c, with the radiation pressure parameter of the more massive body is studied in the Sun-Jupiter system. These families are determined for a single value of the radiation pressure parameter and particularly when the radiation force of the more massive body is equal to one half of the gravitational attraction. Then the critical stability orbits of each family are transferred with the radiation parameter. The stability of each periodic solution is also studied.     

2D calculations of the collapse of magnetized gas cloud

All the families of planar symmetric simple-periodic orbits of the photogravitational restricted plane circular three-body problem, are determined numerically in the case when the primaries are of equal mass and radiate with equal radiation factors (q ₁=q₂=q). We obtain a global view of the possible patterns of periodic three-body motion while the full range of values of the common radiation factor is explored, from the gravitational case (q=1) down to near the critical value at which the triangular equilibria disappear by coalescing with the inner equilibrium pointL ₁ on the rotating axis of the primaries. It is found that for large deviations of its value from the gravitational case the radiation factorq can have a strong effect on the structure of the families.     

Linear stability of the triangular equilibrium points in the photogravitational elliptic restricted problem,II

The linear stability of the triangular equilibrium points in the photogravitational elliptic restricted three-body problem is examined and the stability regions are determined in the space of the parameters of mass, eccentricity, and radiation pressure, in the case of equal radiation factors of the two primaries. The full range of values of the common radiation factor is explored, from the gravitational caseq ₁ =q ₂ =q = 1 down to the critical value ofq = 1/8 at which the triangular equilibria disappear by coalescing on the rotating axis of the primaries. It is found that radiation pressure exerts a significant influence on the stability regions. For certain intervals of radiation values these regions become qualitatively different from the gravitational case as well as the solar system case considered in Paper I. There exist values of the common radiation factor, in the range considered, for which the triangular equilibrium points are stable for the entire range of mass distribution among the primaries and for large eccentricities of their orbits.     

Families of Periodic Orbits Emanating From Homoclinic Orbits in the Restricted Problem of Three Bodies

We describe and comment the results of a numerical exploration on the evolution of the families of periodic orbits associated with homoclinic orbits emanating from the equilateral equilibria of the restricted three body problem for values of the mass ratio larger than μ ₁. This exploration is, in some sense, a continuation of the work reported in Henrard [Celes. Mech. Dyn. Astr. 2002, 83, 291]. Indeed it shows how, for values of μ. larger than μ ₁, the Trojan web described there is transformed into families of periodic orbits associated with homoclinic orbits. Also we describe how families of periodic orbits associated with homoclinic orbits can attach (or detach) themselves to (or from) the best known families of symmetric periodic orbits. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

THE HILL PROBLEM WITH OBLATE SECONDARY: NUMERICAL EXPLORATION

We introduce a three-dimensional version of Hill’s problem with oblate secondary, determine its equilibrium points and their stability and explore numerically its network of families of simple periodic orbits in the plane, paying special attention to the evolution of this network for increasing oblateness of the secondary. We obtain some interesting results that differentiate this from the classical problem. Among these is the eventual disappearance of the basic family g′ of the classical Hill problem and the existence of out-of-plane equilibrium points and a family of simple-periodic plane orbits non-symmetric with respect to the x-axis.     

Bifurcations of plane to 3D periodic orbits in the photogravitational restricted three-body problem

We consider bifurcation of 3D periodic orbits from the plane ofmotion of the primaries in the photogravitational restricted three-bodyproblem. The simplest periodic 3D orbits branch from the plane periodicorbits of indifferent vertical stability. We compute the first few suchorbits of the basic families l, m, i, h, a, b, c forvarying mass parameter and for varying radiation coefficient of thelarger primary. The horizontal stability of the orbits is also computedleading to predictions about possible stability of the 3D orbits.     

Effect of radiation on the stability of equilibrium points in the binary stellar systems: RW-Monocerotis,Krüger 60

We have studied the stability of location of various equilibrium points of a passive micron size particle in the field of radiating binary stellar system within the framework of circular restricted three body problem. Influence of radial radiation pressure and Poynting-Robertson drag (PR-drag) on the equilibrium points and their stability in the binary stellar systems RW-Monocerotis and Krüger-60 has been studied. It is shown that both collinear and off axis equilibrium points are linearly unstable for increasing value of β ₁ (ratio of radiation to gravitational force of the massive component) in presence of PR-drag for the binary systems. Further we find that out of plane equilibrium points (L _i , i=6,7) may exists for range of values of β ₁>1 for these binary systems in the presence of PR-drag. Our linear stability analysis shows that the motion near the equilibrium points L _6,7 of the binary systems is unstable both in the absence and presence of PR-drag.