Position and velocity sensitivities at the triangular libration points (Q1805148)

(The author's summary.) The model of the circular restricted problem of three bodies is used to investigate the sensitivity of the third body motion when a positional or velocity deviation is given away from the triangular libration point \(L_4\). The \(x\)-axis is used as a criterion for defining the stability of the third body motion. Poincaré's surfaces of section are used to compare the regions of periodic, quasi-periodic and stochastic motion to the trajectories found using the definition of stability (not crossing the \(x\)-axis) given in this study. Values of the primary/secondary mass ratios \((\mu)\) ranging from 0 to the linear critical value 0.038521... are investigated. Using this new form of stability measure, it is determined that certain values of \(\mu\) are more stable than others. The results of this study are found to give results agreeable with other studies which investigate commensurabilities of the long and short period terms of periodic orbits.