Localization of real algebraic hypersurfaces with applications to the enumeration of the classes of relative equilibria of a \((5+1)\)-body problem (Q2304276)

Let \(P\) be a real polynomial and \(P(x_1,\dots,x_n)=0\), an equation. A crucial problem is to locate its solution set \(P^{-1}(0)\) in a region of \(\mathbb{R}^n\). The authors suppose that the region of interest can be confined in a box \(\mathcal{B}^n=\prod_{l=1}^n[a_l, b_l]\), and that zero is a regular value of the restriction of \(P\) to \(\mathcal{B}^n\). A localization of the zero set \(P^{-1}(0)\) is obtained by covering \(\mathcal{B}^n\) with smaller \(n\)-dimensional boxes \(\mathcal{B}^n_k\) such that the intersection of \(P^{-1}(0)\) with each \(\mathcal{B}^n_k\) is either the empty set or the analytic graph of a real function of \(n-1\) variables. The singular points or self-intersections arising from multiple irreducible components do not occur in \(P^{-1}(0)\cap\mathcal{B}^n\). The aim of this paper is to extend classical results on the localization of zeros of real univariate polynomials to the localization of zero sets of real multivariate polynomials \(P\). More precisely, of real algebraic hypersurfaces; assuming \(0\) is a regular value. Through suitable changes of variables, the authors verify whether such a hypersurface \(P^{-1}(0)\) in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) intersects or not the given \(n\)-dimensional box \(\mathcal{B}^n\) above, and in the affirmative case, to locate with arbitrary precision the set \(P^{-1}(0)\cap\mathcal{B}^n\). Properties of the hypersurface such as being an analytic graph may also be deduced from their results, which include a non-differentiable, non-local version of the implicit function theorem for polynomials. Next, the authors apply the ideas of the first part to study the bifurcations of a one-parameter family of symmetric classes of relative equilibria of the \((5+1)\)-body problem. The exact numbers of classes of relative equilibria are provided, and their technique allows for the localization of all relative equilibria. This paper is organized as follows: The first section is an introduction to the subject. The second section deals with localization of real algebraic hypersurfaces and the third section with relative equilibria of a \((5+1)\)-body problem.