Periodic motion around the triangular equilibrium points of the photogravitational restricted problem of three bodies

In this article the effect of radiation pressure on the periodic motion of small particles in the vicinity of the triangular equilibrium points of the restricted three body problem is examined. Second order parametric expansions are constructed and the families of periodic orbits are determined numerically for two sets of values of the mass and radiation parameters corresponding to the non-resonant and the resonant case. The stability of each orbit is also studied.     

Chaotic scattering in the restricted three-body problem I. The Copenhagen problem

We consider the scattering motion of the planar restricted three-body problem with two equal masses on a circular orbit. Using the methods of chaotic scattering we present results on the structure of scattering functions. Their connection with primitive periodic orbits and the underlying chaotic saddle are studied. Numerical evidence is presented which suggests that in some intervals of the Jacobi integral the system is hyperbolic. The Smale horseshoe found there is built from a countable infinite number of primitive periodic orbits, where the parabolic orbits play a fundamental role.     

The scattering map in the planar restricted three body problem

We study homoclinic transport to Lyapunov orbits around a collinear libration point in the planar restricted three body problem. A method to compute homoclinic orbits is first described. Then we introduce the scattering map for this problem (defined on a suitable normally hyperbolic invariant manifold) and we show how to compute it using the information already obtained for the homoclinic orbits. An example application to Astrodynamics is also proposed.     

Effect of perturbation on the location of libration point in the robe restricted problem of three bodies

The effect of small perturbation in the Coriolis and centrifugal forces on the location of libration point in the ‘Robe (1977) restricted problem of three bodies’ has been studied. In this problem one body,m ₁, is a rigid spherical shell filled with an homogeneous incompressible fluid of densityϱ ₁. The second one,m ₂, is a mass point outside the shell andm ₃ is a small solid sphere of densityϱ ₃ supposed to be moving inside the shell subject to the attraction ofm ₂ and buoyancy force due to fluidϱ ₁. Here we assumem ₃ to be an infinitesimal mass and the orbit of the massm ₂ to be circular, and we also suppose the densitiesϱ ₁, andϱ ₃ to be equal. Then there exists an equilibrium point (−μ + (ɛ′μ)/(1 + 2μ), 0, 0).     

Robe's restricted three-body problem revisited

Robe's restricted three-body problem is reanalyzed with a view to incorporate a new assumption, namely that the configuration of the fluid body is that described by an hydrostatic equilibrium figure (Roche's ellipsoid). In the concomitant gravitational field a full treatment of the buoyancy force is given. The pertinent equations of motion are derived, the linear stability of the equilibrium solution is studied and the connection between the effect of the buoyancy forces and a perturbation of the Coriolis force is pointed out.     

Harrington's Hamiltonian in the stellar problem of three bodies: Reductions,relative equilibria and bifurcations

We study Harrington's Hamiltonian in the Hill approximation of the stellar problem of three bodies in order to clarify and sharpen a qualitative analysis made by Lidov and Ziglin. We show how the orbital space after four reductions is a two-dimensional sphere, Harrington's Hamiltonian defining a biparametric dynamical system. We produce the diagrams corresponding to each type of phase flow according to a complete discussion of all possible local and global bifurcations determined by the four integrals of the system.     

The equilibrium configurations of the restricted problem of 2+2 triaxial rigid bodies

The restricted 2+2 body problem is considered. The infinitesimal masses are replaced by triaxial rigid bodies and the equations of motion are derived in Lagrange form. Subsequently, the equilibrium solutions for the rotational and translational motion of the bodies are detected. These solutions are conveniently classified in groups according to the several combinations which are possible between the translational equilibria and the constant orientations of the bodies.     

Resonant motion in the restricted three body problem

The resonant structure of the restricted three body problem for the Sun- Jupiter asteroid system in the plane is studied, both for a circular and an elliptic orbit of Jupiter. Three typical resonances are studied, the 2 : 1, 3 : 1 and 4 : 1 mean motion resonance of the asteroid with Jupiter. The structure of the phase space is topologically different in these cases. These are typical for all other resonances in the asteroid problem. In each case we start with the unperturbed two-body system Sun-asteroid and we study the continuation of the periodic orbits when the perturbation due to a circular orbit of Jupiter is introduced. Families of periodic orbits of the first and of the second kind are presented. The structure of the phase space on a surface of section is also given. Next, we study the families of periodic orbits of the asteroid in the elliptic restricted problem with the eccentricity of Jupiter as a parameter. These orbits bifurcate from the families of the circular problem. Finally, we compare the above families of periodic orbits with the corresponding families of fixed points of the averaged problem. Different averaged Hamiltonians are considered in each resonance and the range of validity of each model is discussed.     

An approximate integral and solution for eccentric planetary type orbits in the restricted problem of three bodies

The circular restricted problem of three bodies is investigated analytically with respect to the problem of deriving a second integral of motion besides the well known Jacobian Integral. The second integral is searched for as a correction the angular momentum integral valid in the two body case. A partial differential equation equivalent to the problem is derived and solved approximately by an asymptotic Fourier method assuming either sufficiently small values for the dimensionless mass parameter or sufficiently large distances from the barycentre. The solution of the partial equation then leads to a function of the coordinates, velocities and time being nearly constant, which means that its variation with time is about 40–300 times less than that of the pure angular momentum. By averaging over the remaining fluctuating part of the quasi-integral we are able to integrate the first order equations using a renormalization transformation. This leads to an explicit expression for the approximate solution of the circular problem which describes the motion of the third body orbiting both primaries with nonvanishing initial eccentricity (eccentric planetary type orbits). One of the main results is an explicit formula for the frequency of the perihelion motion of the third body which depends on the mass parameter, the initial distance of the third body from the barycentre and the initial eccentricity. Finally we study orbits of the P-Type, being defined as solutions of the restricted problem with circular initial conditions (vanishing initial eccentricity).     

Equations of motion of the restricted problem of (2 + 2) bodies when primaries are magnetic dipoles and minor bodies are taken as electric dipoles

In this problem of the restricted (2 + 2) bodies we have considered two magnetic dipoles of masses M ₁ and M ₂(M ₁ > M ₂) moving in circular Keplarian orbit about their centre of mass. Two minor bodies of masses m ₁, m ₂(m _j< M ₂) are taken as electric dipoles in the field of rotating magnetic dipoles. These minor bodies interact with each other but do not perturb the primaries.We have found equations of motions which differ from that of Goudas and Petsagouraki's (1985).     

The rectilinear restricted problem of three bodies

In this paper we discuss some aspects of the isosceles case of the rectilinear restricted problem of three bodies, where two primaries of equal mass move on rectilinear ellipses, and the particle is confined to the symmetry axis of the system. In particular, the behaviour near a collision of the primaries and also near a collision of all three bodies is investigated. It is shown that this latter singularity is a triple collision in the sense of Siegel's theory. Furthermore, asymptotic expansions for the particle's motion during a parabolic and a hyperbolic escape are derived.Presented at the Conference on Celestial Mechanics, Oberwolfach, Germany, August 27–September 2, 1972.     

The restricted two-body problem in constant curvature spaces

We perform the bifurcation analysis of the Kepler problem on and . An analog of the Delaunay variables is introduced. We investigate the motion of a point mass in the field of a Newtonian center moving along a geodesic on and (the restricted two-body problem). For the case of a small curvature, the pericenter shift is computed using the perturbation theory. We also present the results of numerical analysis based on an analogy with the motion of a rigid body.     

The restricted planar isosceles three-body problem with non-negative energy

We consider a restricted three-body problem consisting of two positive equal masses m ₁ = m ₂ moving, under the mutual gravitational attraction, in a collision orbit and a third infinitesimal mass m ₃ moving in the plane P perpendicular to the line joining m ₁ and m ₂. The plane P is assumed to pass through the center of mass of m ₁ and m ₂. Since the motion of m ₁ and m ₂ is not affected by m ₃, from the symmetry of the configuration it is clear that m ₃ remains in the plane P and the three masses are at the vertices of an isosceles triangle for all time. The restricted planar isosceles three-body problem describes the motion of m ₃ when its angular momentum is different from zero and the motion of m ₁ and m ₂ is not periodic. Our main result is the characterization of the global flow of this problem.     

The invariance of the restricted problem of three bodies

The restricted problem of three bodies in sidereal coordinates is investigated using Lie theoretical methods of extended groups. The application of the theory results in a single scalar generator with an associated invariant-the integral of the motion attributed to Jacobi.     

Stability of motion in the Sitnikov 3-body problem

We study the stability of motion in the 3-body Sitnikov problem, with the two equal mass primaries (m ₁ = m ₂ = 0.5) rotating in the x, y plane and vary the mass of the third particle, 0 ≤ m ₃ < 10⁻³, placed initially on the z-axis. We begin by finding for the restricted problem (with m ₃ = 0) an apparently infinite sequence of stability intervals on the z-axis, whose width grows and tends to a fixed non-zero value, as we move away from z = 0. We then estimate the extent of “islands” of bounded motion in x, y, z space about these intervals and show that it also increases as |z| grows. Turning to the so-called extended Sitnikov problem, where the third particle moves only along the z-axis, we find that, as m ₃ increases, the domain of allowed motion grows significantly and chaotic regions in phase space appear through a series of saddle-node bifurcations. Finally, we concentrate on the general 3-body problem and demonstrate that, for very small masses, m ₃ ≈ 10⁻⁶, the “islands” of bounded motion about the z-axis stability intervals are larger than the ones for m ₃ = 0. Furthermore, as m ₃ increases, it is the regions of bounded motion closest to z = 0 that disappear first, while the ones further away “disperse” at larger m ₃ values, thus providing further evidence of an increasing stability of the motion away from the plane of the two primaries, as observed in the m ₃ = 0 case.     

Equations of motion of the restricted problem of three bodies with variable mass

In this paper we have deduced the differential equations of motion of the restricted problem of three bodies with decreasing mass, under the assumption that the mass of the satellite varies with respect to time. We have applied Jeans law and the space time transformation contrast to the transformation of Meshcherskii. The space time transformation is applicable only in the special casen=1,k=0,q=1/2. The equations of motion of our problem differ from the equations of motion of the restricted three body problem with constant mass only by small perturbing forces.     

About stability of libration points in the restricted photogravitational three body problem

Nonlinear stability of the triangular libration point in the photogravitational restricted three body problem was investigated in the whole range of the parameters. Some results obtained earlier are corrected. The method for proper determination of cases when stability cannot be determined by four order terms of the hamiltonian was proposed.     

On final evolutions in the restricted planar parabolic three-body problem

In this paper, we prove the existence of special type of motions in the restricted planar parabolic three-body problem, of the type exchange, emission–capture, and emission–escape with close passages to collinear and equilateral triangle configuration, among others. The proof is based on a gradient-like property of the Jacobian function when equations of motion are written in a rotating–pulsating reference frame, and the extended phase space is compactified in the time direction. Thus a phase space diffeomorphic to -coordinates (θ, ζ, ζ′) is obtained with the boundary manifolds θ = ± π/2 corresponding to escapes of the binaries when time tends to ± ∞. It is shown there exists exactly five critical points on each boundary, corresponding to classic homographic solutions. The connections of the invariant manifolds associated to the collinear configurations, and stable/unstable sets associated to binary collision on the boundary manifolds, are obtained for arbitrary masses of the primaries. For equal masses extra connections are obtained, which include equilateral configurations. Based on the gradient-like property, a geometric criterion for capture is proposed and is compared with a criterion introduced by Merman (1953b) in the fifties, and an example studied numerically by Kocina (1954).     

On the stability of the lagrangian points in the spatial restricted problem of three bodies

The problem of stability of the Lagrangian equilibrium point of the circular restricted problem of three bodies is investigated in the light of Nekhoroshev-like theory. Looking for stability over a time interval of the order of the estimated age of the universe, we find a physically relevant stability region. An application of the method to the Sun-Jupiter and the Earth-Moon systems is made. Moreover, we try to compare the size of our stability region with that of the region where the Trojan asteroids are actually found; the result in such case is negative, thus leaving open the problem of the stability of these asteroids.     

Ejection-collision orbits with the more massive primary in the planar elliptic restricted three body problem

The main goal of this paper is to give an approximation to initial conditions for ejection-collision orbits with the more massive primary, in the planar elliptic restricted three body problem when the mass parameter µ and the eccentricity e are small enough. The proof is based on a regularization of variables and a perturbation of the two body problem.This work was partially supported by DGICYT grant number PB90-0695.