The effect of radiation pressure on the equilibrium points in the generalized photogravitational restricted three body problem

The existence of equilibrium points and the effect of radiation pressure have been discussed numerically. The problem is generalized by considering bigger primary as a source of radiation and small primary as an oblate spheroid. We have also discussed the Poynting-Robertson (P-R) effect which is caused due to radiation pressure. It is found that the collinear points L ₁,L ₂,L ₃ deviate from the axis joining the two primaries, while the triangular points L ₄,L ₅ are not symmetrical due to radiation pressure. We have seen that L ₁,L ₂,L ₃ are linearly unstable while L ₄,L ₅ are conditionally stable in the sense of Lyapunov when P-R effect is not considered. We have found that the effect of radiation pressure reduces the linear stability zones while P-R effect induces an instability in the sense of Lyapunov.     

Periodic orbits in the photogravitational restricted problem with the smaller primary an oblate body

In this paper, we have studied periodic orbits generated by Lagrangian solutions of the restricted three body problem when more massive body is a source of radiation and the smaller primary is an oblate body. We have determined periodic orbits for fixed values of μ, σ and different values of p and h (μ mass ratio of the two primaries, σ oblate parameter, p radiation parameter and h energy constant). These orbits have been determined by giving displacements along the tangent and normal to the mobile co-ordinates as defined by Karimov and Sokolsky (in Celest. Mech. 46:335, 1989). These orbits have been drawn by using the predictor-corrector method. We have also studied the effect of radiation pressure on the periodic orbits by taking some fixed values of μ and σ.     

Periodic solutions about the ‘out of plane’ equilibrium points in the photogravitational restricted three-body problem

The regions of stability for the out of plane equilibrium points of the photogravitational restricted three-body problem are given. Second order expansions of periodic solutions around these points are constructed and the corresponding families are computed. It is found that two such families exist. One of them originates and terminates on the same equilibrium point while the other terminates by flattening on the orbital plane.     

Linear stability of equilibrium points in the generalized photogravitational Chermnykh’s problem

The equilibrium points and their linear stability has been discussed in the generalized photogravitational Chermnykh’s problem. The bigger primary is being considered as a source of radiation and small primary as an oblate spheroid. The effect of radiation pressure has been discussed numerically. The collinear points are linearly unstable and triangular points are stable in the sense of Lyapunov stability provided μ<μ _Routh =0.0385201. The effect of gravitational potential from the belt is also examined. The mathematical properties of this system are different from the classical restricted three body problem.     

Straight-line oscillations generating three-dimensional motions in the photogravitational restricted three-body problem

The Sitnikov configuration is a special case of the restricted three-body problem where the two primaries are of equal masses and the third body of a negligible mass moves along a straight line perpendicular to the orbital plane of the primaries and passes through their center of mass. It may serve as a toy model in dynamical astronomy, and can be used to study the three-dimensional orbits in more applicable cases of the classical three-body problem. The present paper concerns the straight-line oscillations of the Sitnikov family of the photogravitational circular restricted three-body problem as well as the associated families of three-dimensional periodic orbits. From the stability analysis of the Sitnikov family and by using appropriate correctors we have computed accurately 49 critical orbits at which families of 3D periodic orbits of the same period bifurcate. All these families have been computed in both cases of equal and non-equal primaries, and consist entirely of unstable orbits. They all terminate with coplanar periodic orbits. We have also found 35 critical orbits at which period doubling bifurcations occur. Several families of 3D periodic orbits bifurcating at these critical Sitnikov orbits have also been given. These families contain stable parts and close upon themselves containing no coplanar orbits.     

Periodic orbits generated by Lagrangian solutions of the restricted three body problem when one of the primaries is an oblate body

We have studied periodic orbits generated by Lagrangian solutions of the restricted three body problem when one of the primaries is an oblate body. We have determined the periodic orbits for different values of μ, h and A (h is energy constant, μ is mass ratio of the two primaries and A is an oblateness factor). These orbits have been determined by giving displacements along the tangent and normal to the mobile coordinates as defined by Karimov and Sokolsky (Celest. Mech. 46:335, 1989). These orbits have been drawn by using the predictor-corrector method. We have also studied the effect of oblateness by taking some fixed values of μ, A and h. As starters for our method, we use some known periodic orbits in the classical restricted three body problem.     

A study of halo orbits at the Sun–Mars L1 Lagrangian point in the photogravitational restricted three-body problem

Photogravitational Restricted Three-Body Problem (PGRTBP) is considered and halo orbits are generated in the vicinity of the Sun–Mars L₁ Lagrangian point. Deviation of properties such as time period, size and velocity variation in the halo orbits with Sun as a source of radiation are discussed. With increase in solar radiation pressure, the halo orbits are found to elongate and move towards the Sun and the time period of the halo orbits is found to increase. The variation in the behaviour of invariant manifolds with change in radiation pressure is also computed and it is found that as the radiation pressure increases, the transition from Mars-centric path to heliocentric path is delayed. Certain implications of the velocity profile of the invariant manifolds are also discussed.     

Earth–Moon Weak Stability Boundaries in the restricted three and four body problem

This work deals with the structure of the lunar Weak Stability Boundaries (WSB) in the framework of the restricted three and four body problem. Geometry and properties of the escape trajectories have been studied by changing the spacecraft orbital parameters around the Moon. Results obtained using the algorithm definition of the WSB have been compared with an analytical approximation based on the value of the Jacobi constant. Planar and three-dimensional cases have been studied in both three and four body models and the effects on the WSB structure, due to the presence of the gravitational force of the Sun and the Moon orbital eccentricity, have been investigated. The study of the dynamical evolution of the spacecraft after lunar capture allowed us to find regions of the WSB corresponding to stable and safe orbits, that is orbits that will not impact onto lunar surface after capture. By using a bicircular four body model, then, it has been possible to study low-energy transfer trajectories and results are given in terms of eccentricity, pericenter altitude and inclination of the capture orbit. Equatorial and polar capture orbits have been compared and differences in terms of energy between these two kinds of orbits are shown. Finally, the knowledge of the WSB geometry permitted us to modify the design of the low-energy capture trajectories in order to reach stable capture, which allows orbit circularization using low-thrust propulsion systems.     

Linearization of the Hamiltonian in the generalized photogravitational Chermnykh’s problem

Linearization of the Hamiltonian is being performed in the generalized photogravitational Chermnykh’s problem. The normal form of the second order part of the Hamiltonian have been found. The effect of radiation pressure, gravitational potential from the belt have been examined analytically and numerically     

Combined effects of perturbations,radiation, and oblateness on the nonlinear stability of triangular points in the restricted three-body problem

This paper investigates the nonlinear stability of the triangular equilibrium points under the influence of small perturbations in the Coriolis and centrifugal forces together with the effect of oblateness and radiation pressures of the primaries. It is found that the triangular points are stable for all mass ratios in the range of linear stability except for three mass ratios depending upon above perturbations, oblateness coefficients and mass reduction factors.     

Multiple Poincaré sections method for finding the quasiperiodic orbits of the restricted three body problem

A new fully numerical method is presented which employs multiple Poincaré sections to find quasiperiodic orbits of the Restricted Three-Body Problem (RTBP). The main advantages of this method are the small overhead cost of programming and very fast execution times, robust behavior near chaotic regions that leads to full convergence for given family of quasiperiodic orbits and the minimal memory required to store these orbits. This method reduces the calculations required for searching two-dimensional invariant tori to a search for closed orbits, which are the intersection of the invariant tori with the Poincaré sections. Truncated Fourier series are employed to represent these closed orbits. The flow of the differential equation on the invariant tori is reduced to maps between the consecutive Poincaré maps. A Newton iteration scheme utilizes the invariance of the circles of the maps on these Poincaré sections in order to find the Fourier coefficients that define the circles to any given accuracy. A continuation procedure that uses the incremental behavior of the Fourier coefficients between close quasiperiodic orbits is utilized to extend the results from a single orbit to a family of orbits. Quasi-halo and Lissajous families of the Sun–Earth RTBP around the L2 libration point are obtained via this method. Results are compared with the existing literature. A numerical method to transform these orbits from the RTBP model to the real ephemeris model of the Solar System is introduced and applied.     

Instabilities in the Sun–Jupiter–Asteroid three body problem

We consider dynamics of a Sun–Jupiter–Asteroid system, and, under some simplifying assumptions, show the existence of instabilities in the motions of an asteroid. In particular, we show that an asteroid whose initial orbit is far from the orbit of Mars can be gradually perturbed into one that crosses Mars’ orbit. Properly formulated, the motion of the asteroid can be described as a Hamiltonian system with two degrees of freedom, with the dynamics restricted to a “large” open region of the phase space reduced to an exact area preserving map. Instabilities arise in regions where the map has no invariant curves. The method of MacKay and Percival is used to explicitly rule out the existence of these curves, and results of Mather abstractly guarantee the existence of diffusing orbits. We emphasize that finding such diffusing orbits numerically is quite difficult, and is outside the scope of this paper.     

Oscillatory orbits in the planar three‐body problem with equal masses

In the free‐fall three‐body problem, distributions of escape, binary, and triple collision orbits are obtained. Interpretation of the results leads us to the existence of oscillatory orbits in the planar three‐body problem with equal masses. A scenario to prove their existence is described. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Nonlinear stability in the restricted three-body problem with oblate and variable mass

This study investigates the nonlinear stability of the triangular equilibrium points when the bigger primary is an oblate spheroid and the infinitesimal body varies (decreases) it’s mass in accordance with Jeans’ law. It is found that these points are stable for all mass ratios in the range of linear stability except for three mass ratios depending upon oblateness coefficient A and β, a constant due to the variation in mass governed by Jeans’ law.     

On the covering of a Hill’s region by solutions in the restricted three-body problem

We consider two classical celestial-mechanical systems: the planar restricted circular three-body problem and its simplification, the Hill’s problem. Numerical and analytical analyses of the covering of a Hill’s region by solutions starting with zero velocity at its boundary are presented. We show that, in all considered cases, there always exists an area inside a Hill’s region that is uncovered by the solutions.     

Comment on the paper “On the triangular libration points in photogravitational restricted three-body problem with variable mass” by Zhang, M.J., et al.

In a recent paper, published in Astrophys. Space Sci. (337:107, 2012) (hereafter paper ZZX) and entitled “On the triangular libration points in photogravitational restricted three-body problem with variable mass”, the authors study the location and stability of the generalized Lagrange libration points L ₄ and L ₅. However their study is flawed in two aspects. First they fail to write correctly the equations of motion of the variable mass problem. Second they attribute a variable mass to the third body of the restricted three-body model, a fact that is not compatible with the assumptions used in deriving the mathematical formulation of this model.     

A new solution to the lagrange's case of the three‐body problem

The motion of three particles, interacting by gravitational forces, is studied in a new coordinate system given by the principal axes of inertia, as determined by Euler angles, and using the inertia principal moments and an auxiliar angle as coordinates. The solution to the particular Lagrange case of the three‐body problem is reviewed and solved in these new coordinates. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

On particle trajectories in restricted 3-body problem including the effect of radiation: Sun-Jupiter system

In this work, we have simulated orbits of a particle moving in gravitational field of the Sun-Jupiter system. The effect of solar radiation pressure, including Poynting Robertson drag, on the evolution of particle orbits in phase space have been studied for different values of the parameter β ₁ (the ratio of radiation to gravitational force) and initial conditions. Characteristics of various computed trajectories have been studied using wavelet transform (WT), Fourier transform (FT) and Poincare surface of section method. We use wavelet analysis to identify transitions of a trajectory in time-frequency plane and further apply it to classify it as regular or chaotic in phase space. Unlike the Fourier transform method (FT), we observe that the wavelet transform (WT) also provides a basis to identify ‘sticky’ trajectories in the present dynamical system.     

Poynting–Robertson (P–R) drag and oblateness effects on motion around the triangular equilibrium points in the photogravitational R3BP

This paper investigates the motion of a test particle around the triangular equilibrium points under the effects of radiation pressure of the second primary and its Poynting–Robertson (P–R) effect when the first primary is an oblate spheroid. It is seen that triangular points are influenced by the presence of these parameters: radiation pressure from the secondary and the incidental P–R effect and the oblateness of the first primary. The linear stability of the problem is studied and applied to the binary system RXJ 0450.1-5856, the triangular points are unstable due to positive roots in the Lyapunov sense when P–R effect is considered as against their conditional stability in the absence of P–R drag effect.     

Combined effects of perturbations, radiation and oblateness on the periodic orbits in the restricted three-body problem

This paper investigates the periodic orbits around the triangular equilibrium points for 0<μ<μ _c , where μ _c is the critical mass value, under the combined influence of small perturbations in the Coriolis and the centrifugal forces respectively, together with the effects of oblateness and radiation pressures of the primaries. It is found that the perturbing forces affect the period, orientation and the eccentricities of the long and short periodic orbits.