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The Three Body Problem

ABSTRACT

In n-body problem, n-bodies move in space under their mutual gravitational interactions,
described by the Newtonian gravitational theory.In the past, many physicists,
astronomers and mathematicians attempted unsuccessfully to find closed form solutions
to the n-body problem. The problem can be solved exactly only in the case where n=2
(two body problem). Solutions in the general case do not exist, because motions of the n
bodies (n>2) are in general unpredictable, which makes the n-body problem (n>2)one of
the most challenging problems in the history of science. Even in the case where n=3
(three body problem), the problem cannot be solved exactly and only special cases of
solutions can be given.
We will refer to n-body problem in general and then specialize to the case of “Three
Body Problem” and more specifically to the “Restricted Three Body Problem”, where one
of the three bodies is much smaller than the other two (for instance Sun-Earth-Moon or
Sun-Planet-Asteroid). It can be proved that under certain conditions the system is stable
and under other conditions becomes unstable (chaotic).
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The Three Body Problem

CONTENTS

The Three Body Problem .......................................................................................................... 1

1 Introduction [3.7] ....................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Asteroids in General .........................................................................................................4
1.2 Trojan Asteroids ...............................................................................................................4
2 Mathematical Description [3.1], [3.2], [3.3], [3.5], [3.6] ........................................................................ 5
2.1 n-Body Problem (nBP) ......................................................................................................5
2.1.1 The general nBP ....................................................................................................... 5
2.2 Three-Body Problem (3BP): Newtonian Formalism (NF) approach .................................7
2.2.1 The general 3BP ....................................................................................................... 7
2.2.2 Restricted 3BP (R3BP) .............................................................................................. 8
2.2.3 Planar Circular R3BP (PCR3BP) ................................................................................ 9
3 References ............................................................................................................................. 11
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1 Introduction[3.7]
The Solar System (Picture 1) constists of (mainly) the Sun, the eight planets, the five
dwarf planets, the “moons” of the planets, asteroids like the asteroid belt (between Mars
and Jupiter) and the Kuiper belt (a circumstellar disc in the outerSolar System
beyondtheorbitofNeptune), comets, centaurs, interplanetary dust clouds, solar wind and
other smaller objects.
The n-body problem may refer to the whole solar system or to some part of it (as in the
special case of the three body problem: for instance the three-body systemsSun-Earth-
Moon orSun-Jupiter-Asteroid).

Picture 1 (main bodies of our solar system)[3.7]

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1.1 Asteroids in General

Asteroids are small planets, especially of the inner Solar System. Larger asteroids have
also been called planetoids.
There exist millions of asteroids. Most known asteroids have orbits within the “main
asteroid belt” between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, or are co-orbital with Jupiter
(the Jupiter trojans). However, other orbital families with many asteroids exist like
the near-Earth objects.
A very interesting NASA-animation representing a map of the increased count of all
known asteroids in the solar system between Jan. 1, 1999 and Jan. 31, 2018 is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfvo-Ujb_qk .

[3.7]
Picture 2 (Asteroid belt and Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids)

1.2 Trojan Asteroids

A trojan is a small celestial body that
shares the orbit of a larger one,
remaining in a stable orbit
approximately 60° ahead or behind the
main body, near one of its Lagrangian
points L4 and L5. Trojans can share the
orbits of planets or of large moons.
…
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2 Mathematical Description[3.1], [3.2], [3.3], [3.5], [3.6]

2.1 n-Body Problem (nBP)

2.1.1 The general nBP

In the general case of the nBP we consider a system of n-bodies interacting each other
and we want to predict the evolution of the system, given any initial state. The
“Newtonian n-body problem” is the special case where the interactions are gravitational
interactions described by “Newton’s law of gravitation”.
The equations of motion for the “Newtonian n-body problem” are:

(1)

with unknown quantities the vector position-functions

of n bodies of masses with respect to the origin of an inertial

reference frame.

This is a system of n coupled 2nd-order nonlinear differential equations. Finding all the
solutions of this system is a very difficult problem, which has not been solved yet,
although many great mathematicians have tried to solve it. Henri Poincaré was one of
them and he has contributed much trying to find the solution of this problem.

The proof of system (1) is in the next page.

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2.2 Three-Body Problem (3BP): NewtonianFormalism (NF) approach

2.2.1 The general 3BP

In the general 3BP the equations of motion are as in the system (1), with i, j=1,2,3.

It can be proved that in this case there are two characteristic classes of periodic
solutions [Euler (1767) and Lagrange (1772)], where the bodies have linear and triangle
configuration [respectively] and elliptical orbits.
Euler’s solution (Figure 1) is not stable against small disturbances.
Lagrange’s solution (Figure 2) has regions of stability and regions of instability.
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Mathematical description

2.2.2 Restricted 3BP (R3BP)

The R3BP is that special case of the 3BP, where one of the three bodies is much
smaller then the other two, say:
m3<<m1 and m3<<m2.
Then m1 and m2 are called the “primaries”.
Examples are the systems: Earth-Moon-spacecraft, Sun-Earth-Moon, Sun-Jupiter-
asteroid, a star with an exoplanet and exomoon and others.
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2.2.3 Planar Circular R3BP (PCR3BP)

2.2.3.1 Equilibrium Points

In the more specialized case of PCR3BP, the primaries move with circular orbits around
their center of mass and the third body m3 remains in the same orbital plane as the
primaries.
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2.2.3.2 Stability of Equilibrium Points

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3 References

3.1 Goldstein H., Poole C., Safko J., 2001, “Classical Mechanics”, Pearson

3.2 Hestenes, D., 1999, “New Foundations for Classical Mechanics”, Springer

3.3 Musielak Z.E., Quarles B., 2015,“The three-body problem”, arXiv:1508.02312

3.4 Lascar J., 2012, “Is The Solar System Stable?”, arXiv:1209.5996

3.5 Contopoulos G., 2002, “Order and Chaos in Dynamical Astronomy”, Springer

3.6 Spiegel M., 1967, “Schaum’s Outline Series:Theory and Problems of Theoretical
Mechanics”, McGraw-Hill

3.7 https://en.wikipedia.org