On the Stability of Symmetric Periodic Orbits of the Elliptic Sitnikov Problem

Abstract

Motivated by the recent works on the stability of symmetric periodic orbits of the elliptic Sitnikov problem, for time-periodic Newtonian equations with symmetries, we will study symmetric periodic solutions which emanated from nonconstant periodic solutions of autonomous equations. By using the theory of Hill's equations, we will first deduce in this paper a criterion for the linearized stability and instability of periodic solutions which are odd in time. Such a criterion is complementary to that for periodic solutions which are even in time, obtained recently by the present authors. Applying these criteria to the elliptic Sitnikov problem, we will prove in an analytical way that the odd (2,1)-periodic solutions of the elliptic Sitnikov problem are hyperbolic and therefore are Lyapunov unstable when the eccentricity is small, while the corresponding even (2,1)-periodic solutions are elliptic and linearized stable.