Theory of the Trojan asteroids, IV

Abstract

In a previous publication (1977) the author has constructed a family ℒ(α) of long-periodic orbits in the Trojan case of the restricted problems of three bodies. Here he constructs the domain

of the analytical solution of the problem of the motion, excluding the vicinity of thecritical divisor which vanishes at the exact commensurability of the natural frequencies ω₁ and ω₂. In terms of thecritical masses m_j(α₂), or the associatedcritical energies α ²_j (m),

is the intersection of the intervals ofshallow resonance, of the form

. Inasmuch as the intervals |α₂−α ²_j |<ε_j ofdeep resonance aredisjoint, it follows that (1) the disjointed family ℒ(α) embraces the tadpole branch, 0⩽α²⩽1, lying in

: and (2) despite the clustering of α ²_j (m) atj=∞, the family ℒ(α) includes, for α²=1, an asymptoticseparatrix that terminates the branch in the vicinity of the Lagrangian pointL ₃.

In a similar manner, the family ℒ(α) can be extended to the horseshoe branch 1<α₂⩽α ²₂ .