No label defined (Q4941672)

Let us consider a system of \(n\) material points with the interaction described by the potential energy \(U(\vec{r}_1,\dots{},\vec{r}_n)= \sum_{i<j}m_im_j|\vec{r}_i-\vec{r}_j|^{-1}\), and let \({\mathcal X}= \{ (\vec{r}_1,\dots{},\vec{r}_n)\in (\mathbb{R}^3)^n\); \(\sum_{i=1}^n m_i\vec{r}_i=0\}\). The configuration space \(\widehat{\mathcal X}\) of the system is formed by all elements \((\vec{r}_1,\dots{},\vec{r}_n)\in {\mathcal X}\) satisfying the condition \(\vec{r}_i\not=\vec{r}_j\) for \(i\not=j\), and the corresponding phase space is \(\{ (x,y)\); \(x\in \widehat{\mathcal X},\;y\in {\mathcal X}\}\). The scalar product \(x\cdot y=\sum_{i=1}^n m_i\vec{r}_i\dot{\vec{r}}_i\) on \({\mathcal X}\), where \(x=(\vec{r}_1,\dots{},\vec{r}_n)\), \(y=(\dot{\vec{r}}_1,\dots{},\dot{\vec{r}}_n)\), allows us to define the functions: \(I=x\cdot x\), \(J=x\cdot y\), \(K=y\cdot y\). They satisfy the Sundman's inequality \(IK-J^2\geq c^2\), where \(c\) is the norm of the angular momentum. A complex homothetic motion is a motion satisfying the relation \(IK-J^2=c^2\). A motion such that \(\lim_{t\rightarrow t_0}I(t)=0\) is said to present a total collision at time \(t_0\). The collision manifold is the intersection of the submanifolds formed by the states of null energy and null angular momentum with the submanifold \(I=1\). The article presents results concerning the relation between homothety symmetry and total collision, describes the collision variety in the case of isosceles three-body problem, and discusses triple collisions. The study of collision manifolds brings a contribution to the understanding of global dynamics in the case of the \(n\)-body problem. For the entire collection see [Zbl 0932.00022].