Abstract
The weak stability boundary (WSB) is the transition region of the phase space where the change from gravitational escape to ballistic capture occurs. Studies
on this complicated region of chaotic motion aim to investigate its unique, fuel saving properties to enlarge the frontiers of low energy transfers. This “fuzzy stability” region is characterized by highly sensitive motion, and any analysis of it has been carried out almost exclusively using numerical methods.
On the contrary this paper presents, for the planar circular restricted 3 body problem (PCR3BP), 1) an analytic definition of the WSB which is coherent with the known algorithmic definitions; 2) a precise description of the topology of the WSB; 3) analytic estimates on the “stable region” (nearby the smaller primary) whose boundary is, by definition, the WSB.
on this complicated region of chaotic motion aim to investigate its unique, fuel saving properties to enlarge the frontiers of low energy transfers. This “fuzzy stability” region is characterized by highly sensitive motion, and any analysis of it has been carried out almost exclusively using numerical methods.
On the contrary this paper presents, for the planar circular restricted 3 body problem (PCR3BP), 1) an analytic definition of the WSB which is coherent with the known algorithmic definitions; 2) a precise description of the topology of the WSB; 3) analytic estimates on the “stable region” (nearby the smaller primary) whose boundary is, by definition, the WSB.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-24 |
| Number of pages | 26 |
| Journal | Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy |
| Volume | 114 |
| Issue number | 1-2 |
| Early online date | 15 May 2012 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2012 |
Keywords
- weak stability boundary
- restricted three body problem
- algorithmic definition