Origin and continuation of 3/2, 5/2, 3/1, 4/1 and 5/1 resonant periodic orbits in the circular and elliptic restricted three-body problem

We consider a planetary system consisting of two primaries, namely a star and a giant planet, and a massless secondary, say a terrestrial planet or an asteroid, which moves under their gravitational attraction. We study the dynamics of this system in the framework of the circular and elliptic restricted three-body problem, when the motion of the giant planet describes circular and elliptic orbits, respectively. Originating from the circular family, families of symmetric periodic orbits in the 3/2, 5/2, 3/1, 4/1 and 5/1 mean-motion resonances are continued in the circular and the elliptic problems. New bifurcation points from the circular to the elliptic problem are found for each of the above resonances, and thus, new families continued from these points are herein presented. Stable segments of periodic orbits were found at high eccentricity values of the already known families considered as whole unstable previously. Moreover, new isolated (not continued from bifurcation points) families are computed in the elliptic restricted problem. The majority of the new families mainly consists of stable periodic orbits at high eccentricities. The families of the 5/1 resonance are investigated for the first time in the restricted three-body problems. We highlight the effect of stable periodic orbits on the formation of stable regions in their vicinity and unveil the boundaries of such domains in phase space by computing maps of dynamical stability. The long-term stable evolution of the terrestrial planets or asteroids is dependent on the existence of regular domains in their dynamical neighbourhood in phase space, which could host them for long-time spans. This study, besides other celestial architectures that can be efficiently modelled by the circular and elliptic restricted problems, is particularly appropriate for the discovery of terrestrial companions among the single-giant planet systems discovered so far.     

Symmetric and Nonsymmetric Periodic Orbits in the Exterior Mean Motion Resonances with Neptune

We present families of periodic orbits and their stability for the exterior mean motion resonances 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4 with Neptune in the framework of the planar circular restricted three-body problem. We found that in each resonance there exist two branches of symmetric elliptic periodic orbits with stable and unstable segments. Asymmetric periodic orbits bifurcate from the corresponding symmetric ones. Asymmetric periodic orbits are stable and the motion in their neighbourhood is a libration with respect to the resonant angle variable. In all the families of asymmetric periodic orbits the eccentricity extends to high values. Poincaré sections reveal the changes of the topology in phase space.     

Symmetric and asymmetric 3:1 resonant periodic orbits with an application to the 55Cnc extra-solar system

We study the dynamics of 3:1 resonant motion for planetary systems with two planets, based on the model of the general planar three body problem. The exact mean motion resonance corresponds to periodic motion (in a rotating frame) and the basic families of symmetric and asymmetric periodic orbits are computed. Four symmetric families bifurcate from the family of circular orbits of the two planets. Asymmetric families bifurcate from the symmetric families, at the critical points, where the stability character changes. There exist also asymmetric families that are independent of the above mentioned families. Bounded librations exist close to the stable periodic orbits. Therefore, such periodic orbits (symmetric or asymmetric) determine the possible stable configurations of a 3:1 resonant planetary system, even if the orbits of the two planets intersect. For the masses of the system 55Cnc most of the periodic orbits are unstable and they are associated with chaotic motion. There exist however stable symmetric and asymmetric orbits, corresponding to regular trajectories along which the critical angles librate. The 55Cnc extra-solar system is located in a stable domain of the phase space, centered at an asymmetric periodic orbit.     

Resonant periodic orbits in the exoplanetary systems

The planetary dynamics of 4/3, 3/2, 5/2, 3/1 and 4/1 mean motion resonances is studied by using the model of the general three body problem in a rotating frame and by determining families of periodic orbits for each resonance. Both planar and spatial cases are examined. In the spatial problem, families of periodic orbits are obtained after analytical continuation of vertical critical orbits. The linear stability of orbits is also examined. Concerning initial conditions nearby stable periodic orbits, we obtain long-term planetary stability, while unstable orbits are associated with chaotic evolution that destabilizes the planetary system. Stable periodic orbits are of particular importance in planetary dynamics, since they can host real planetary systems. We found stable orbits up to 60^° of mutual planetary inclination, but in most families, the stability does not exceed 20^°–30^°, depending on the planetary mass ratio. Most of these orbits are very eccentric. Stable inclined circular orbits or orbits of low eccentricity were found in the 4/3 and 5/2 resonance, respectively.     

On the effect of the eccentricity of a planetary orbit on the stability of satellite orbits

The effect of the eccentricity of a planet’s orbit on the stability of the orbits of its satellites is studied. The model used is the elliptic Hill case of the planar restricted three-body problem. The linear stability of all the known families of periodic orbits of the problem is computed. No stable orbits are found, the majority of them possessing one or two pairs of real eigenvalues of the monodromy matrix, while a part of a family with complex instability is found. Two families of periodic orbits, bifurcating from the Lagrangian points L₁, L₂ of the corresponding circular case are found analytically. These orbits are very unstable and the determination of their stability coefficients is not accurate, so we compute the largest Liapunov exponent in their vicinity. In all cases these exponents are positive, indicating the existence of chaotic motions     

The elliptic restricted problem at the 3 : 1 resonance

Four 3 : 1 resonant families of periodic orbits of the planar elliptic restricted three-body problem, in the Sun-Jupiter-asteroid system, have been computed. These families bifurcate from known families of the circular problem, which are also presented. Two of them, I _c , II _c bifurcate from the unstable region of the family of periodic orbits of the first kind (circular orbits of the asteroid) and are unstable and the other two, I _e , II _e , from the stable resonant 3 : 1 family of periodic orbits of the second kind (elliptic orbits of the asteroid). One of them is stable and the other is unstable. All the families of periodic orbits of the circular and the elliptic problem are compared with the corresponding fixed points of the averaged model used by several authors. The coincidence is good for the fixed points of the circular averaged model and the two families of the fixed points of the elliptic model corresponding to the families I _c , II _c , but is poor for the families I _e , II _e . A simple correction term to the averaged Hamiltonian of the elliptic model is proposed in this latter case, which makes the coincidence good. This, in fact, is equivalent to the construction of a new dynamical system, very close to the original one, which is simple and whose phase space has all the basic features of the elliptic restricted three-body problem.     

Symmetric and asymmetric librations in extrasolar planetary systems: a global view

We present a global view of the resonant structure of the phase space of a planetary system with two planets, moving in the same plane, as obtained from the set of the families of periodic orbits. An important tool to understand the topology of the phase space is to determine the position and the stability character of the families of periodic orbits. The region of the phase space close to a stable periodic orbit corresponds to stable, quasi periodic librations. In these regions it is possible for an extrasolar planetary system to exist, or to be trapped following a migration process due to dissipative forces. The mean motion resonances are associated with periodic orbits in a rotating frame, which means that the relative configuration is repeated in space. We start the study with the family of symmetric periodic orbits with nearly circular orbits of the two planets. Along this family the ratio of the periods of the two planets varies, and passes through rational values, which correspond to resonances. At these resonant points we have bifurcations of families of resonant elliptic periodic orbits. There are three topologically different resonances: (1) the resonances (n + 1):n, (2:1, 3:2, ...), (2) the resonances (2n + 1):(2n-1), (3:1, 5:3, ...) and (3) all other resonances. The topology at each one of the above three types of resonances is studied, for different values of the sum and of the ratio of the planetary masses. Both symmetric and asymmetric resonant elliptic periodic orbits exist. In general, the symmetric elliptic families bifurcate from the circular family, and the asymmetric elliptic families bifurcate from the symmetric elliptic families. The results are compared with the position of some observed extrasolar planetary systems. In some cases (e.g., Gliese 876) the observed system lies, with a very good accuracy, on the stable part of a family of resonant periodic orbits.     

Stable Chaos versus Kirkwood Gaps in the Asteroid Belt: A Comparative Study of Mean Motion Resonances

We have shown, in previous publications, that stable chaos is associated with medium/high-order mean motion resonances with Jupiter, for which there exist no resonant periodic orbits in the framework of the elliptic restricted three-body problem. This topological “defect” results in the absence of the most efficient mechanism of eccentricity transport (i.e., large-amplitude modulation on a short time scale) in three-body models. Thus, chaotic diffusion of the orbital elements can be quite slow, while there can also exist a nonnegligible set of chaotic orbits which are semiconfined (stable chaos) by “quasi-barriers” in the phase space. In the present paper we extend our study to all mean motion resonances of order q≤9 in the inner main belt (1.9-3.3 AU) and q≤7 in the outer belt (3.3-3.9 AU). We find that, out of the 34 resonances studied, only 8 possess resonant periodic orbits that are continued from the circular to the elliptic three-body problem (regular families), namely, the 2/1, 3/1, 4/1, and 5/2 in the inner belt and the 7/4, 5/3, 11/7, and 3/2 in the outer belt. Numerical results indicate that the 7/3 resonance also carries periodic orbits but, unlike the aforementioned resonances, 7/3-periodic orbits belong to an irregular family. Note that the five inner-belt resonances that carry periodic orbits correspond to the location of the main Kirkwood gaps, while the three outer-belt resonances correspond to gaps in the distribution of outer-belt asteroids noted by Holman and Murray (1996, Astron. J.112, 1278-1293), except for the 3/2 case where the Hildas reside. Fast, intermittent eccentricity increase is found in resonances possessing periodic orbits. In the remaining resonances the time-averaged elements of chaotic orbits are, in general, quite stable, at least for times t∼250 Myr. This slow diffusion picture does not change qualitatively, even if more perturbing planets are included in the model.     

Resonant Periodic Orbits of Trans-Neptunian Objects

We study two and three-dimensional resonant periodic orbits, usingthe model of the restricted three-body problem with the Sun andNeptune as primaries. The position and the stability character ofthe periodic orbits determine the structure of the phase space andthis will provide useful information on the stability and longterm evolution of trans-Neptunian objects. The circular planarmodel is used as the starting point. Families of periodic orbitsare computed at the exterior resonances 1/2, 2/3 and 3/4 withNeptune and these are used as a guide to select the energy levelsfor the computation of the Poincaré maps, so that all basicresonances are included in the study. Using the circular planarmodel as the basic model, we extend our study to more realisticmodels by considering an elliptic orbit of Neptune and introducingthe inclination of the orbit. Families of symmetric periodicorbits of the planar elliptic restricted three-body problem andthe three-dimensional problem are found. All these orbitsbifurcate from the families of periodic orbits of the planarcircular problem. The stability of all orbits is studied. Althoughthe resonant structure in the circular problem is similar for allresonances, the situation changes if the eccentricity of Neptuneor the inclination of the orbit is taken into account. All theseresults are combined to explain why in some resonances there aremany bodies and other resonances are empty.     

On the 2/1 resonant planetary dynamics – periodic orbits and dynamical stability

The 2/1 resonant dynamics of a two-planet planar system is studied within the framework of the three-body problem by computing families of periodic orbits and their linear stability. The continuation of resonant periodic orbits from the restricted to the general problem is studied in a systematic way. Starting from the Keplerian unperturbed system, we obtain the resonant families of the circular restricted problem. Then, we find all the families of the resonant elliptic restricted three-body problem, which bifurcate from the circular model. All these families are continued to the general three-body problem, and in this way we can obtain a global picture of all the families of periodic orbits of a two-planet resonant system. The parametric continuation, within the framework of the general problem, takes place by varying the planetary mass ratio ρ. We obtain bifurcations which are caused either due to collisions of the families in the space of initial conditions or due to the vanishing of bifurcation points. Our study refers to the whole range of planetary mass ratio values  [ρ∈ (0, ∞)]  and, therefore we include the passage from external to internal resonances. Thus, we can obtain all possible stable configurations in a systematic way. As an application, we consider the dynamics of four known planetary systems at the 2/1 resonance and we examine if they are associated with a stable periodic orbit.     

Periodic orbits of the elliptic restricted problem for the Sun-Jupiter-Saturn system

A systematic approach to generate periodic orbits in the elliptic restricted problem of three bodies in introduced. The approach is based on (numerical) continuation from periodic orbits of the first and second kind in the circular restricted problem to periodic orbits in the elliptic restricted problem. Two families of periodic orbits of the elliptic restricted problem are found by this approach. The mass ratio of the primaries of these orbits is equal to that of the Sun-Jupiter system. The sidereal mean motions between the infinitesimal body and the smaller primary are in a 2:5 resonance, so as to approximate the Sun-Jupiter-Saturn system. The linear stability of these periodic orbits are studied as functions of the eccentricities of the primaries and of the infinitesimal body. The results show that both stable and unstable periodic orbits exist in the elliptic restricted problem that are close to the actual Sun-Jupiter-Saturn system. However, the periodic orbit closest to the actual Sun-Jupiter-Saturn system is (linearly) stable.     

The dynamics of the elliptic Hill problem: periodic orbits and stability regions

The motion of a satellite around a planet can be studied by the Hill model, which is a modification of the restricted three body problem pertaining to motion of a satellite around a planet. Although the dynamics of the circular Hill model has been extensively studied in the literature, only few results about the dynamics of the elliptic model were known up to now, namely the equations of motion and few unstable families of periodic orbits. In the present study we extend these results by computing a large set of families of periodic orbits and their linear stability and classify them according to their resonance condition. Although most of them are unstable, we were able to find a considerable number of stable ones. By computing appropriate maps of dynamical stability, we study the effect of the planetary eccentricity on the stability of satellite orbits. We see that, even for large values of the planetary eccentricity, regular orbits can be found in the vicinity of stable periodic orbits. The majority of irregular orbits are escape orbits.     

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.     

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.     

Stable Chaos in High-Order Jovian Resonances

In a previous publication (Tsiganis et al. 2000, Icarus146, 240-252), we argued that the occurrence of stable chaos in the 12/7 mean motion resonance with Jupiter is related to the fact that there do not exist families of periodic orbits in the planar elliptic restricted problem and in the 3-D circular problem corresponding to this resonance. In the present paper we show that nonexistence of resonant periodic orbits, both for the planar and for the 3-D problem, also occurs in other jovian resonances—namely the 11/4, 22/9, 13/6, and 18/7—where cases of real asteroids on stable-chaotic orbits have been identified. This property may provide a “protection mechanism”, leading to semiconfinement of chaotic orbits and extremely slow migration in the space of proper elements, so that diffusion is practically unrelated to the value of the Lyapunov time, T_L, of chaotic orbits. However, we show that, in more complicated dynamical models, the long-term evolution of chaotic orbits initiated in the vicinity of these resonances may also be governed by secular resonances. Finally, we find that stable-chaotic orbits have a characteristic spectrum of autocorrelation times: for the action conjugate to the critical argument the autocorrelation time is of the order of the Lyapunov time, while for the eccentricity- and inclination-related actions the autocorrelation time may be longer than 10³T_L. This behavior is consistent with the trajectory being sticky around a manifold of lower-than-full dimensionality in phase space (e.g., a 4-D submanifold of the 5-D energy manifold in a three-degrees-of-freedom autonomus Hamiltonian system) and reflects the inability of these “flawed” resonances to modify secular motion significantly, at least for times of the order of 200 Myr.     

On quasi-satellite periodic motion in asteroid and planetary dynamics

Applying the method of analytical continuation of periodic orbits, we study quasi-satellite motion in the framework of the three-body problem. In the simplest, yet not trivial model, namely the planar circular restricted problem, it is known that quasi-satellite motion is associated with a family of periodic solutions, called family f, which consists of 1:1 resonant retrograde orbits. In our study, we determine the critical orbits of family f that are continued both in the elliptic and in the spatial models and compute the corresponding families that are generated and consist the backbone of the quasi-satellite regime in the restricted model. Then, we show the continuation of these families in the general three-body problem, we verify and explain previous computations and show the existence of a new family of spatial orbits. The linear stability of periodic orbits is also studied. Stable periodic orbits unravel regimes of regular motion in phase space where 1:1 resonant angles librate. Such regimes, which exist even for high eccentricities and inclinations, may consist dynamical regions where long-lived asteroids or co-orbital exoplanets can be found.     

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.     

Periodic orbits of the planar collision restricted 3-body problem

Using the continuation method we prove that the circular and the elliptic symmetric periodic orbits of the planar rotating Kepler problem can be continued into periodic orbits of the planar collision restricted 3-body problem. Additionally, we also continue to this restricted problem the so called “comet orbits”. An erratum to this article can be found at     

On the families of periodic orbits which bifurcate from the circular Sitnikov motions

In this paper we deal with the circular Sitnikov problem as a subsystem of the three-dimensional circular restricted three-body problem. It has a first analytical part where by using elliptic functions we give the analytical expressions for the solutions of the circular Sitnikov problem and for the period function of its family of periodic orbits. We also analyze the qualitative and quantitative behavior of the period function. In the second numerical part, we study the linear stability of the family of periodic orbits of the Sitnikov problem, and of the families of periodic orbits of the three-dimensional circular restricted three-body problem which bifurcate from them; and we follow these bifurcated families until they end in families of periodic orbits of the planar circular restricted three-body problem. We compare our results with the previous ones of other authors on this problem. Finally, the characteristic curves of some bifurcated families obtained for the mass parameter close to 1/2 are also described.