A numerical investigation of the one-dimensional Newtonian three-body problem

The one-dimensional Newtonian three-body problem is known to have stable (quasi-)periodic orbits when the masses are equal. The existence and size of the stable region is discussed here in the case where the three masses are arbitrary. We consider only the stability of the periodic (generalized) Schubart's (1956) orbit. If this orbit is linearly stable it is almost always surrounded by a region of stable quasi-periodic orbits and the size and shape of this stable region depends on the masses. The three-dimensional linear stability of the periodic orbits is also determined. Final results show that the region of stability has a complicated shape and some of the stable regions in the mass-plane are quite narrow. The non-linear three-dimensional stability is studied independently by extensive numerical integrations and the results are found to be in agreement with the linear stability analysis. The boundaries of stable region in the mass-plane are given in terms of polynomial approximations. The results are compared with a similar work by Héenon (1977).We thank the referee for pointing out this reference to us.     

Families of double symmetric “Schubart-like” periodic orbits

We consider a class of Hamiltonian systems with two degrees of freedom with singularities. This class includes several symmetric subproblems of the $n$ -body problem where the singularities are due to collisions involving two or more bodies. “Schubart-like” periodic orbits having two collisions in one period, are present in most of these subproblems. The purpose of this paper is to study the existence of families of such a periodic orbits in a general setting. The blow up techniques of total collision and infinity are applied to our class of Hamiltonian system. This allows us to derive sufficient conditions to ensure the existence of families of double symmetric “Schubart-like” periodic orbits having many singularities. The orbits in the family can be parametrized by the number of singularities in one period. The results are applied to some subproblems of the gravitational $n$ -body problem.     

Transport orbits in an equilateral restricted four-body problem

In this paper we consider a restricted equilateral four-body problem where a particle of negligible mass is moving under the Newtonian gravitational attraction of three masses (called primaries) which move on circular orbits around their center of masses such that their configuration is always an equilateral triangle (Lagrangian configuration). We consider the case of two bodies of equal masses, which in adimensional units is the parameter of the problem. We study numerically the existence of families of unstable periodic orbits, whose invariant stable and unstable manifolds are responsible for the existence of homoclinic and heteroclinic connections, as well as of transit orbits traveling from and to different regions. We explore, for three different values of the mass parameter, what kind of transits and energy levels exist for which there are orbits with prescribed itineraries visiting the neighborhood of different primaries.     

Planar Symmetric Periodic Orbits in Four Dipole Problem

We have extend Stormer’s problem considering four magnetic dipoles in motion trying to justify the phenomena of extreme “orderlines” such as the ones observed in the rings of Saturn; the aim is to account the strength of the Lorentz forces estimating that the Lorentz field, co-acting with the gravity field of the planet, will limit the motion of all charged particles and small size grains with surface charges inside a layer of about 200 m thickness as that which is observed in the rings of Saturn. For this purpose our interest feast in the motion of charged particles with neglected mass where only electromagnetic forces accounted in comparison to the weakness of the Newtonian fields. This study is particularly difficult because in the regions we investigate these motions there is enormous three dimensional instability. Following the Poincare’s hypothesis that periodic solutions are ‘dense’ in the set of all solutions in Hamiltonian systems we try to calculate many families of periodic solutions and to study their stability. In this work we prove that in this environment charged particles can trace planar symmetric periodic orbits. We discuss these orbits in details and we give their symplectic relations using the Hamiltonian formulation which is related to the symplectic matrix. We apply numerical procedures to find families of these orbits and to study their stability. Moreover we give the bifurcations of these families with families of planar asymmetric periodic orbits and families of three dimensional symmetric periodic orbits.     

Periodic solutions with alternating singularities in the collinear four-body problem

This paper gives an analytic proof of the existence of Schubart-like orbit, a periodic orbit with singularities in the symmetric collinear four-body problem. In each period of the Schubart-like orbit, there is a binary collision (BC) between the inner two bodies and a simultaneous binary collision (SBC) of the two clusters on both sides of the origin. The system is regularized and the existence is proved by using a “turning point” technique and a continuity argument on differential equations of the regularized Hamiltonian.     

The rectilinear three-body problem using symbol sequence II: role of the periodic orbits

We study the change of phase space structure of the rectilinear three-body problem when the mass combination is changed. Generally, periodic orbits bifurcate from the stable Schubart periodic orbit and move radially outward. Among these periodic orbits there are dominant periodic orbits having rotation number (n − 2)/n with n ≥ 3. We find that the number of dominant periodic orbits is two when n is odd and four when n is even. Dominant periodic orbits have large stable regions in and out of the stability region of the Schubart orbit (Schubart region), and so they determine the size of the Schubart region and influence the structure of the Poincaré section out of the Schubart region. Indeed, with the movement of the dominant periodic orbits, part of complicated structure of the Poincaré section follows these orbits. We find stable periodic orbits which do not bifurcate from the Schubart orbit.     

A numerical investigation of the one-dimensional newtonian three-body problem

Numerical orbit integrations have been conducted to characterize the types of trajectories in the one-dimensional Newtonian three-body problem with equal masses and negative energy. Essentially three different types of motions were found to exist. They may be classified according to the duration of the bound three-body state. There are zero-lifetime predictable trajectories, finite lifetime apparently chaotic orbits, and infinite lifetime quasi-periodic motions. The quasi-periodic orbits are confined to the neighbourhood of Schubart's stable periodic orbit. For all other trajectories the final state is of the type binary + single particle in both directions of time. The boundaries of the different orbit-type regions seem to be sharp. We present statistical results for the binding energies and for the duration of the bound three-body state. Properties of individual orbits are also summarized in the form of various graphical maps in a two-dimensional grid of parameters defining the orbit. Supported by the Academy of Finland.     

Triple collisions in the one-dimensional three-body problem

We consider the motions of particles in the one-dimensional Newtonian three-body problem as a function of initial values. Using a mapping of orbits to symbol sequences we locate the initial values leading to triple collisions. These turn out to form curves which give clear structure to the region in which the motions depend sensitively on initial conditions. In addition to finding the triple collision orbits we also locate orbits which end up to a triple collision in both directions of time, that is, orbits which are finite both in space and time. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Family of Symmetrical Schubart-Like Interplay Orbits and their Stability in the One-Dimensional Four-Body Problem

We locate members of an important category of periodic orbits in the Newtonian four-body problem. These systems perform an interplay motion similar to that of the periodic three-body orbit discovered by Schubart. Such orbits, when stable, have been shown to be a key feature and influence on the dynamics of few-body systems. We consider the restricted case where the masses are collinear and are distributed symmetrically about their centre of mass. A family of orbits is generated from the known (three-dimensionally) unstable equal masses case by varying the mass ratio, whilst maintaining the symmetry. The stability of these orbits to perturbation is studied using linear stability analysis, analytical approximation of limiting cases and nonlinear simulation. We answer the natural question: are there any stable periodic orbits of this kind? Three ranges of the mass ratio are found to have stable orbits and three ranges have unstable orbits for three-dimensional motion. The systems closely resemble their three-body counterparts. Here the family of interplay orbits is simpler requiring just one parameter to characterise the mass ratio. Our results provide a further insight into three-body orbits studied previously.     

Families of periodic orbits in the three-body problem

We show by a general argument that periodic solutions of the planar problem of three bodies (with given masses) form one-parameter families. This result is confirmed by numerical investigations: two orbits found earlier by Standish and Szebehely are shown to belong to continuous one-parameter families of periodic orbits. In general these orbits have a non-zero angular momentum, and the configuration after one period is rotated with respect to the initial configuration. Similar general arguments whow that in the three-dimensional problem, periodic orbits form also one-parameter families; in the one-dimensional problem, periodic orbits are isolated.     

Computing with certainty individual members of families of periodic orbits of a given period

The accurate computation of families of periodic orbits is very important in the analysis of various celestial mechanics systems. The main difficulty for the computation of a family of periodic orbits of a given period is the determination within a given region of an individual member of this family which corresponds to a periodic orbit. To compute with certainty accurate individual members of a specific family we apply an efficient method using the Poincaré map on a surface of section of the considered problem. This method converges rapidly, within relatively large regions of the initial conditions. It is also independent of the local dynamics near periodic orbits which is especially useful in the case of conservative dynamical systems that possess many periodic orbits, often of the same period, close to each other in phase space. The only computable information required by this method is the signs of various function evaluations carried out during the integration of the equations of motion. This method can be applied to any system of celestial mechanics. In this contribution we apply it to the photogravitational problem.     

Families of symmetric relative periodic orbits originating from the circular Euler solution in the isosceles three-body problem

We study symmetric relative periodic orbits in the isosceles three-body problem using theoretical and numerical approaches. We first prove that another family of symmetric relative periodic orbits is born from the circular Euler solution besides the elliptic Euler solutions. Previous studies also showed that there exist infinitely many families of symmetric relative periodic orbits which are born from heteroclinic connections between triple collisions as well as planar periodic orbits with binary collisions. We carry out numerical continuation analyses of symmetric relative periodic orbits, and observe abundant families of symmetric relative periodic orbits bifurcating from the two families born from the circular Euler solution. As the angular momentum tends to zero, many of the numerically observed families converge to heteroclinic connections between triple collisions or planar periodic orbits with binary collisions described in the previous results, while some of them converge to “previously unknown” periodic orbits in the planar problem.     

2/1 resonant periodic orbits in three dimensional planetary systems

We consider the general spatial three body problem and study the dynamics of planetary systems consisting of a star and two planets which evolve into 2/1 mean motion resonance and into inclined orbits. Our study is focused on the periodic orbits of the system given in a suitable rotating frame. The stability of periodic orbits characterize the evolution of any planetary system with initial conditions in their vicinity. Stable periodic orbits are associated with long term regular evolution, while unstable periodic orbits are surrounded by regions of chaotic motion. We compute many families of symmetric periodic orbits by applying two schemes of analytical continuation. In the first scheme, we start from the 2/1 (or 1/2) resonant periodic orbits of the restricted problem and in the second scheme, we start from vertical critical periodic orbits of the general planar problem. Most of the periodic orbits are unstable, but many stable periodic orbits have been, also, found with mutual inclination up to 50^?–60^?, which may be related with the existence of real planetary systems.     

Escape regions of a quartic potential

We investigate the escape regions of a quartic potential and the main types of irregular periodic orbits. Because of the symmetry of the model the zero velocity curve consists of four summetric arcs forming four open channels around the lines y = ± x through which an orbit can escape. Four unstable Lyapunov periodic orbits bridge these openings.We have found an infinite sequence of families of periodic orbits which is the outer boundary of one of the escape regions and several infinite sequences of periodic orbits inside this region that tend to homoclinic and heteroclinic orbits. Some of these sequences of periodic orbits tend to homoclinic orbits starting perpendicularly and ending asymptotically at the x-axis. The other sequences tend to heteroclinic orbits which intersect the x-axis perpendicularly for x > 0 and make infinite oscillations almost parallel to each of the two Lyapunov orbits which correspond to x > 0 or x < 0.     

Asymmetric Periodic Solutions in the Restricted Problem of Three Bodies

A systematic numerical exploration of the families of asymmetric periodic orbits of the restricted three-body problem when a) the primary bodies are equal and b) for the Earth-Moon mass ratio, is presented. Decades families of asymmetric periodic solutions were found and three of the simplest ones, in the first case, and ten of the second one are illustrated. All of these families consist of periodic orbits which are asymmetric with respect to x-axis while are simple symmetric periodic orbits with respect to y-axis (i.e. the orbit has only one perpendicular intersection at half period with y-axis). Many asymmetric periodic orbits, members of these families, are calculated and plotted. We studied the stability of all the asymmetric periodic orbits we found. These families consist, mainly, of unstable periodic solutions but there exist very small, with respect to x, intervals where these families have stable periodic orbits. We also found, using appropriate Poincaré surface of sections, that a relatively large region of phase space extended around all these stable asymmetric periodic orbits shows chaotic motion.     

Periodic motions in the spatial Chermnykh restricted three-body problem

Three-dimensional motions in the Chermnykh restricted three-body problem are studied. Specifically, families of three-dimensional periodic orbits are determined through bifurcations of the family of straight-line periodic oscillations of the problem which exists for equal masses of the primaries. These rectilinear oscillations are perpendicular to the plane of the primaries and give rise to an infinite number of families consisting entirely of periodic orbits which belong to the three-dimensional space except their respective one-dimensional bifurcations as well as their planar terminations. Many of the computed branch families are continued in all mass range that they exist.     

Planar periodic orbits in exterior resonances with Neptune

In the framework of the planar restricted three-body problem we study a considerable number of resonances associated to the basic dynamical features of Kuiper belt and located between 30 and 48 a.u. Our study is based on the computation of resonant periodic orbits and their stability. Stable periodic orbits are surrounded by regular librations in phase space and in such domains the capture of trans-Neptunian object is possible. All the periodic orbits found are symmetric and there is an indication of the existence of asymmetric ones only in a few cases. In the present work first, second and third order resonances are under consideration. In the planar circular case we found that most of the periodic orbits are stable. The families of periodic orbits are temporarily interrupted by collisions but they continue up to relatively large values of the Jacobi constant and highly eccentric regular motion exists for all cases. In the elliptic problem and for a particular eccentricity value of the primary bodies, the periodic orbits are isolated. The corresponding families, where they belong to, bifurcate from specific periodic orbits of the circular problem and seem to continue up to the rectilinear problem. Both stable and unstable orbits are obtained for each case. In the elliptic problem, the unstable orbits found are associated with narrow chaotic domains in phase space. The evolution of the orbits, which are located in such chaotic domains, seems to be practically regular and bounded for long time intervals.     

Resonance transition periodic orbits in the circular restricted three-body problem

This work studies a special type of cislunar periodic orbits in the circular restricted three-body problem called resonance transition periodic orbits, which switch between different resonances and revolve about the secondary with multiple loops during one period. In the practical computation, families of multiple periodic orbits are identified first, and then the invariant manifolds emanating from the unstable multiple periodic orbits are taken to generate resonant homoclinic connections, which are used to determine the initial guesses for computing the desired periodic orbits by means of multiple-shooting scheme. The obtained periodic orbits have potential applications for the missions requiring long-term continuous observation of the secondary and tour missions in a multi-body environment.     

Periodic orbits and bifurcations in the Sitnikov four-body problem when all primaries are oblate

We study the motions of an infinitesimal mass in the Sitnikov four-body problem in which three equal oblate spheroids (called primaries) symmetrical in all respect, are placed at the vertices of an equilateral triangle. These primaries are moving in circular orbits around their common center of mass. The fourth infinitesimal mass is moving along a line perpendicular to the plane of motion of the primaries and passing through the center of mass of the primaries. A relation between the oblateness-parameter ‘A’ and the increased sides ‘ε’ of the equilateral triangle during the motion is established. We confine our attention to one particular value of oblateness-parameter A=0.003. Only one stability region and 12 critical periodic orbits are found from which new three-dimensional families of symmetric periodic orbits bifurcate. 3-D families of symmetric periodic orbits, bifurcating from the 12 corresponding critical periodic orbits are determined. For A=0.005, observation shows that the stability region is wider than for A=0.003.     

Analysis of periodic orbits in the Saturn-Titan system using the method of Poincare section surfaces

We explore the periodic orbits and the regions of quasi-periodic motion around both the primaries in the Saturn-Titan system in the framework of planar circular restricted three-body problem. The location, nature and size of periodic and quasi-periodic orbits are studied using the numerical technique of Poincare surface of sections. The maximum amplitude of oscillations about the periodic orbits is determined and is used as a parameter to measure the degree of stability in the phase space for such orbits. It is found that the orbits around Saturn remain around it and their stability increases with the increase in the value of Jacobi constant C. The orbits around Titan move towards it with the increase in C. At C=3.1, the pericenter and apocenter are 358.2 and 358.5 km, respectively. No periodic or quasi-periodic orbits could be found by the present method around the collinear Lagrangian point L ₁ (0.9569373834…).