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The Tetrahedral 4-Body Problem

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Abstract

Consider 4 bodies of equal unit masses in space at the vertices of a regular tetrahedron with variable height, interacting under gravitational forces. A topological and dynamical description of the total collision manifold, parabolic orbits of escape, and homoclinic and heteroclinic orbits asymptotic to total collision and infinity arc given. This permits us to give a symbolic dynamics representation of motions.

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[Supported by CNPq 300 735/95-2 (Brazil) and Conacyt 400200-5-1406PE (México).]

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Delgado, J., Vidal, C. The Tetrahedral 4-Body Problem. Journal of Dynamics and Differential Equations 11, 735–780 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022667613764

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022667613764

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