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At least 37 records · Page 2

Effect of three-body interactions on the structure of small clusters

Minimum energy configurations of microclusters (up to six atoms) have been calculated using two- and three-body interactions. Structural changes were parametrically analyzed as a function of the intensity of three-body forces. The results are qualitative in nature; they indicate, however, that three-body interactions play an important role in the equilibrium structure of microclusters. The effect of the intensity of the three-body interactions on the structure of small clusters is not manifested in a continuous manner. Rather, changes in the energetically most stable structure occur abruptly. The results are in qualitative agreement with experimental observations as well as other calculations.

Halicioglu, T.↗

Three-body reactions.

Upper atmosphere three-body reactions study leading to light emission with laboratory results applied to night airglow

CHEMILUMINESCENCE↗

Asymptotic form of the charge-exchange cross section in three-body rearrangement collisions

A three-body general-type rearrangement collision is considered in which the initial and final bound states are described by hydrogen-like wave functions. It is shown that the charge-exchange amplitude in the first Born approximation can be expanded at all incident energies in terms of the inverse powers of the principal quantum number (n). By expanding the exchange amplitude in this way, it is demonstrated conclusively that the cross section for capture into the s, p, and d states as well as for the sum over all the angular-momentum states is proportional to 1/n-cubed plus terms proportional to higher inverse odd powers of n. It is found that the low-lying levels cannot be scaled to the 1/n-cubed law irrespective of the value of the incident energy except in the case of capture into the s states in accordance with the Oppenheimer-Brinkman-Kramers approximation. Zeros and minima in the differential cross sections are given in the limit of high principal quantum number for electron capture by protons from atomic hydrogen and for positronium formation by proton-atomic hydrogen collisions.

Omidvar, K.↗

A simple criterion for determining the dynamical stability of three-body systems

Coplanar, prograde three-body systems (TBS) are discussed, emphasizing the specification of general criteria for determining whether such systems are dynamically stable. It is shown that the Graziani-Black (1981) criteria provide a quantitatively accurate characterization of the onset of dynamic instability for values of the dimensionless mass ranging from one millionth to one million. Harrington's (1977) general criterion and the Graziani-Black criterion are compared with results from analytic work that spans a 12-orders-of-magnitude variation in the mass ratios of the TBS components. Comparison of the Graziani-Black criteria with data for eight well-studied triple-star systems indicates that the observed lower limit for the ratio of periastron distance of the tertiary orbit to the semimajor axis of the binary orbit is due to dynamical instability rather than to cosmogonic processes.

Black, D. C.↗

The invariance of the restricted problem of three bodies

The restricted problem of three bodies in sidereal coordinates is investigated using Lie theoretical methods of extended groups. The application of the theory results in a single scalar generator with an associated invariant - the integral of the motion attributed to Jacobi.

Jezewski, D. J.↗

Some three-body numerical solutions for low-thrust orbiter missions.

A ?velocity at the sphere of influence' method and an asymptotic matching method of patching together two-body low thrust solutions are compared to a number of three-body numerical results for outer planet orbiter missions. The two patching methods compare well with the numerical three-body results and do not depend on any particular choice for the size of the sphere of influence. The results apply, in a strict sense, only to the operational mode used-high-thrust terminal retro into orbit. Low-thrust spirals are not considered in the three-body analysis. The terminal low-thrust phase of thrusting is almost entirely reverse to the velocity vector during the planet centered phase of the trajectory. This may lead to important simplifications for low-thrust guidance and navigation procedures.

Mackay, J. S.↗

Application of the pseudostate theory to the three-body Lambert problem

The pseudostate theory, which approximates three-body trajectories by overlapping the conic effects of both massive bodies on the third body, has been used to solve boundary-value problems. Frequently, the approach to the secondary is quite close, as in interplanetary gravity-assist or satellite-tour trajectories. In this case, the orbit with respect to the primary is radically changed so that perturbation techniques are time consuming, yet higher accuracy than point-to-point conics is necessary. This method reduces the solution of the three-body Lambert problem to solving two conic Lambert problems and inverting a 7 x 7 matrix, the components of which are all found analytically. Typically 90-95 percent of the point-to-point conic error, with respect to an integrated trajectory, is eliminated.

Byrnes, Dennis V.↗

Application of the pseudostate theory to the three-body Lambert problem

The pseudostate theory, which approximates three-body trajectories by overlapping the conic effects of both massive bodies on the third body, has been used to solve boundary value problems. Frequently, the approach to the secondary is quite close, as in interplanetary gravity assist trajectories or satellite tour trajectories. In this case the orbit with respect to the primary is radically changed so that perturbation techniques are time consuming, yet higher accuracy than point-to-point conics (V-infinity matching) is necessary. This method reduces the solution of the three-body Lambert problem to solving two conic Lambert problems and inverting a 7 x 7 matrix, the components of which are all found analytically. Typically 90-95% of the point-to-point conic error with respect to an integrated trajectory is eliminated.

Byrnes, D. V.↗

The Restricted Three-Body-Problem as a Perturbation of Euler's Problem of Two Fixed Centers and Its Application to Lunar Trajectories

The restricted Three-Body-Problem considers the motion of an infinitesimal mass under the gravitational attraction of two finite masses, which revolve about their common center of gravity in coplanar circles. It is well known that Euler's problem of two fixed centers, consisting of the motion of an infinitesimal mass under the gravitational attraction of two finite masses fixed in space, can be solved by elliptic functions. The idea presented here is to take the solution of Euler's problem as the solution of the restricted Three-Body-Problem by allowing the initial values to be functions of time now. Differential equations for the perturbed initial values are established. These equations can be given in closed form by using the fact that the transformation to the perturbed initial values of Euler's problem is canonical. Thus, an approximation can be obtained for the solution of the restricted Three-Body-Problem. The method can also be used to represent classes of neighboring trajectories for guidance purposes.

Euler equation↗

Subregions of Motion and Elliptic Halo Orbits in the Elliptic Restricted Three-Body Problem

In this paper we present regions of motion and periodic orbits in the spatial elliptic restricted three body problem (ER3BP). Periodic orbits and regions of motion are fundamental keys to understand any dynamical system; for this reason the Hill's surfaces or the families of halo orbits have been extensively studied in the frame of the circular restricted three body problem. It is our opinion that their natural extensions to the ER3BP have not been studied enough. We divide the position space into forbidden subregions, subregions of motion and low-velocity subregions.We use these notions to define necessary condition for a transfer trajectory in the ER3BP. Also we compute branches of elliptic halo orbits bifurcating from halo orbits in the circular restricted three body problem. The new periodic orbits have principal periods and stability properties different from those of the originating halo orbit.

mission design↗

Numerical integration of periodic orbits in the elliptic restricted three-body problem

The problem of finding periodic orbits in the circular restricted three-body problem has been very extensively studied in celestial mechanics. It is well known that continuous families of periodic orbits exist, for which the period varies in a continuous way. However, all the applications which are found in the solar system correspond to cases with non-zero eccentricities, and the elliptic restricted three-body problem is thus a better approximation than the circular one. For instance, for the motion of a satellite in the Earth-Moon system, as a first approximation, we may assume that the Moon moves around the Earth in circular motion; but as a much better approximation, we can also assume that the Moon moves in an elliptic orbit around the Earth.

NUMERICAL INTEGRATION↗