Fourth body gravitation effect on the resonance orbit characteristics of the restricted three-body problem

Abstract

In this paper, the gravitational effect of a fourth body on the resonance orbit defined in the restricted three-body problem (RTBP) is considered. In this regard, Resonance Hamiltonian of the RTBP and the Hamiltonian associated with the fourth gravitational body that perturbs the resonance orbit are computed. The Melnikov approach is utilized as a mean for the detection of chaos in resonance orbit under the influence of the fourth gravitation body. In addition, the numerical simulation of RTBP and bicircular four-body model, time–frequency analysis (TFA), and fast Lyapunov indicator (FLI) are performed to verify the results of the Melnikov approach. The results indicate that for the (2:1) resonance orbit, the Melnikov integral computed over outer loop of separatrix does not cross the zero line, and consequently chaos is unexpected. On the other hand, the Melnikov integral computed over the inner sepratrix loop crosses the zero line indicating a potential for chaos. Similarly, it is shown that inclusion of the fourth body gravitation leads the (3:1) as well as the (4:1) resonance orbits to chaos. Additionally, simulation results indicate that for some initial conditions on the separatrix, the fourth body effect bounds the amplitude of the resonance orbits while diffusing its corresponding trajectory in the bounded phase space. TFA and the FLI verify similar results.