The stability parameters of three-body periodic orbits

Formulae containing the elements of the variational matrix are obtained which determine the linear iso-energetic stability parameters of periodic orbits of the general three-body problem. This requires the numerical integration of the variational equations but produces the stability parameters with the effective accuracy of the numerical integration. The procedure is applied for the determination of horizontally critical orbits among the members of sets of vertical-critical periodic orbits of the threebody problem. These critical-critical orbits have special importance as they delimit the regions in the space of initial conditions which correspond to possibly stable three-dimensional periodic motion of low inclination.     

Analytical continuation of stability of periodic orbits in the restricted three-body problem

A supplement to the theory of analytical continuation of circular orbits in the restricted three-body problem is presented. The first order stability is given analytically to the first power of mass parameter . The theory of the Kirkwood gaps is discussed from this point of view. The stability limit which should determine the size of accretion discs in binaries is found to be in good agreement with earlier numerical experiments for < 1/2.     

Families of periodic planetary-type orbits in the three-body problem and their stability

Several families of the planar general three-body problem for fixed values of the three masses are found, in a rotating frame of reference, where the mass of two of the bodies is small compared to the mass of the third body. These families were obtained by the continuation of a degenerate family of periodic orbits of three bodies where two of the bodies have zero masses and describe circular orbits around a third body with finite mass, in the same direction.The above families represent planetary systems with the body with the large mass representing the Sun and the two small bodies representing two planets or comets. One section of a family is shown to represent the Jupiter family of comets and also a model for the Sun-Jupiter-Saturn system is found.The stability analysis revealed that stability exists for small masses and small eccentricities of the two planets. Planetary systems with relatively large masses and eccentricities are proved to be unstable. In particular, the Jupiter family of comets, for small masses of the two small bodies, and the Sun-Jupiter-Saturn system are proved to be stable. Also, it was shown that resonances are not necessarily associated with instabilities.     

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.     

The stability parameters of three-dimensional periodic three-body orbits

Formulae containing the elements of the variational matrix are obtained which determine the linear isoenergetic stability parameters of three-dimensional periodic orbits of the general three-boy problem. This requires the numerical integration of the variational equations but produces the stability parameters with the effective accuracy of the numerical integration. The conditions for stability, criticality, and bifurcations are briefly examined and the stability determination procedure is tested in the determination of some three-dimensional periodic orbits of low inclination bifurcating from vertical-critical coplanar orbits.     

Non-schubart periodic orbits in the rectilinear three-body problem

In the present paper, in the rectilinear three-body problem, we qualitatively follow the positions of non-Schubart periodic orbits as the mass parameter changes. This is done by constructing their characteristic curves. In order to construct characteristic curves, we assume a set of properties on the shape of areas corresponding to symbol sequences. These properties are assured by our preceding numerical calculations. The main result is that characteristic curves always start at triple collision and end at triple collision. This may give us some insight into the nature of periodic orbits in the N-body problem.     

Families of periodic orbits in the planar three-body problem

A periodic orbit of the restricted circular three-body problem, selected arbitrarily, is used to generate a family of periodic motions in the general three-body problem in a rotating frame of reference, by varying the massm ₃ of the third body. This family is continued numerically up to a maximum value of the mass of the originally small body, which corresponds to a mass ratiom ₁:m ₂:m ₃?5:5:3. From that point on the family continues for decreasing massesm ₃ until this mass becomes again equal to zero. It turns out that this final orbit of the family is a periodic orbit of the elliptic restricted three body problem. These results indicate clearly that families of periodic motions of the three-body problem exist for fixed values of the three masses, since this continuation can be applied to all members of a family of periodic orbits of the restricted three-body problem. It is also indicated that the periodic orbits of the circular restricted problem can be linked with the periodic orbits of the elliptic three-body problem through periodic orbits of the general three-body problem.     

The three-dimensional general three-body problem: Determination of periodic orbits

The three-dimensional general three-body problem is formulated suitably for the numerical determination of periodic orbits either directly or by continuation from the three-dimensional periodic orbits of the restricted problem. The symmetry properties of the equations of motion are established and the algorithms for the numerical determination of families of periodic orbits are outlined. A normalization scheme based on the concept of the invariable plane is introduced to simplify the process. All three types of symmetric orbit, as well as the general type of asymmetric orrbit, are considered. Many threedimmensional p periodic orbits are given.     

Families of periodic collision orbits in the general three-body problem

In the general three-body problem, in a rotating frame of reference, a symmetric periodic solution with a binary collision is determined by the abscissa of one body and the energy of the system. For different values of the masses of the three bodies, the symmetric periodic collision orbits form a two-parametric family. In the case of equal masses of the two bodies and small mass of the third body, we found several symmetric periodic collision orbits similar to the corresponding orbits in the restricted three-body problem. Starting with one symmetric periodic collision orbit we obtained two families of such orbits. Also starting with one collision orbit in the Sun-Jupiter-Saturn system we obtained, for a constant value of the mass ratio of two bodies, a family of symmetric periodic collision orbits.     

Some manifolds of periodic orbits in the restricted three-body problem

In the present paper we give some numerical results about natural families of periodic orbits, which emanate from limiting orbits around the equilateral equilibrium points of the Restricted Three-Body Problem, when the mass ratio is greater than Routh's critical one.     

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.     

Symmetric horseshoe periodic orbits in the general planar three-body problem

We present some families of horseshoe periodic orbits in the general planar three-body problem for the case of two equal masses. The considered system is a symmetric version of the one formed by Saturn, Janus and Epimetheus. We use a mass ratio equal to 35×10⁻⁵, corresponding to 10⁵ times the Saturn-Janus mass parameter of the restricted case; for this mass ratio the satellites have a significantly bigger influence on the planet than in the classical Saturn, Janus and Epimetheus system. To obtain periodic orbits, we search those horseshoe orbits passing through two reversible configurations. A particular kind of periodic orbits where the minor bodies follow the same path is discussed.     

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.     

Families of periodic orbits in the general three-body problem for the Sun-Jupiter-Saturn mass-ratio and their stability

Several families of planar planetary-type periodic orbits in the general three-body problem, in a rotating frame of reference, for the Sun-Jupiter-Saturn mass-ratio are found and their stability is studied. It is found that the configuration in which the orbit of the smaller planet is inside the orbit of the larger planet is, in general, more stable.We also develop a method to study the stability of a planar periodic motion with respect to vertical perturbations. Planetary periodic orbits with the orbits of the two planets not close to each other are found to be vertically stable. There are several periodic orbits that are stable in the plane but vertically unstable and vice versa. It is also shown that a vertical critical orbit in the plane can generate a monoparametric family of three-dimensional periodic orbits.     

New kinds of asymmetric periodic orbits in the restricted three-body problem

The procedure of numerical ascent from families of planar to three-dimensional periodic orbits and the subsequent descent to the plane is proved efficient in determining new families of planar asymmetric periodic orbits in the restricted three-body problem. Two such families are computed and described for values of the mass parameter for which it has been found that they exist. Two new families of three-dimensional asymmetric periodic orbits are also presented in this paper.     

The continuation of periodic orbits from the restricted to the general three-body problem

Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy - It is proved that a symmetric periodic orbit of the circular planar restricted three-body problem can be continued analytically, when the mass of the...     

General three-body problem: Families of vertical critical periodic orbits

In this paper we present four families of vertical critical periodic orbits found by continuation, with respect to the small massm ₃, of the vertical critical periodic orbitsl1v, ilv, mlv, c3v of the circular restricted problem. The periodic orbits refer to a suitably defined rotating frame of reference.     

Properties of linearized mappings associated with periodic orbits in the three-body problem

In this paper three results on the linearized mapping associated with the plane three body problem near a periodic orbit are established. It is first shown that linear stability of such an orbit is independent of initial position on the orbit and of coordinate system. Second, the relation of Hénon connecting the rates of change of rotation angle and period on an isoenergetic family of periodic orbits is proved, together with a similar relation for families of orbits closing exactly in a rotating coordinate system. Finally, a condition for a critical orbit is given which is applicable to any family of periodic orbits.     

Bifurcations of planar to three-dimensional periodic orbits in the general three-body problem

We study the generation of three-dimensional periodic orbits of the general three-body problem from special generating plane orbits, the vertical-critical orbits. The bifurcation process is examined analytically and geometrically. A method of obtaining numerically continuous sets of vertical-critical orbits is outlined, and applied for the determination of 16 monoparametric sets including all possible types of such orbits corresponding to all possible types of symmetry of the bifurcating three-dimensional orbits. The stability of all bifurcation orbits is assessed. Examples of three-dimensional periodic orbits generated from the bifurcation orbits are given.