Total collision with slow convergence to a degenerate central configuration (Q6069627)

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scientific article; zbMATH DE number 7765038
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Total collision with slow convergence to a degenerate central configuration
scientific article; zbMATH DE number 7765038

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    Total collision with slow convergence to a degenerate central configuration (English)
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    14 November 2023
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    For total collision solutions of the \(n\)-body problem, \textit{J. Chazy} [Bull. Astr. 35, 321--389 (1916, 1918; JFM 46.1385.07)] showed that the overall size of the configuration converges to zero with asymptotic rate proportional to \(|T-t|^{\frac{2}{3}}\) where \(T\) is the collision time. He also showed that the shape of the configuration converges to the shape of central configurations. If the limiting central configuration is \textbf{nondegenerate}, the rate of convergence of the shape is of order \(\mathcal(|T-t|^{p})\) for some \(p>0\). In this study, the author shows (Theorem 1) that in the planar four-body problem there exist total collision solutions whose shape converges to the shape of a \textbf{degenerate} central configuration at the rate proportional to \(-1/\ln|T-t|\). Theorem 1 follows from another result (Theorem 2 in the paper) about solutions in a blown-up and rotation-reduced phase space. Namely, the auhtor uses McGehee's blow-up technique and a careful center manifold reduction on the invariant \textit{total collision manifold} to prove Theorem 2. The key ingredient in his proof is the assumption of Palmore's \textbf{degeneracy}. The computations are straightforward, but certain parts are tedious, requiring Wolfram Mathematica.
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    planar four-body problem
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    limiting central configuration
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    McGehee blow-up method
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    center manifold reduction
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    invariant total collision manifold
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