Related papers: On the Existence of Collisionless Equivariant Mini…
When we use variational methods to study the Newtonian $N$-body problem, the main problem is how to avoid collisions. C.Marchal got a remarkable result, that is, a path minimizing the Lagrangian action functional between two given…
We consider a connected symplectic manifold $M$ acted on properly and in a Hamiltonian fashion by a connected Lie group $G$. Inspired to the recent paper \cite{gb2}, see also \cite{ch} and \cite{pacini}, we study Lagrangian orbits of…
An action minimizing path between two given configurations, spatial or planar, of the $n$-body problem is always a true -- collision-free -- solution. Based on a remarkable idea of Christian Marchal, this theorem implies the existence of…
In this paper, we first describe how we can arrange any bodies on Figure-Eight without collision in a dense subset of $[0,T]$ after showing that the self-intersections of Figure-Eight will not happen in this subset. Then it is reasonable…
We consider the limit $N\to +\infty$ of $N$-body type problems with weak interaction, equal masses and $-\sigma$-homogeneous potential, $0<\sigma<1$. We obtain the integro-differential equation that the motions must satisfy, with limit…
We first take into account variational problems with periodic boundary conditions, and briefly recall some sufficient conditions for a periodic solution of the Euler-Lagrange equation to be either a directional, a weak, or a strong local…
We investigate minimality and stability of periodic brake orbits in natural Lagrangian systems on smooth Riemannian manifolds. We prove that every non-constant periodic brake orbit is not a minimizer of the fixed-time action, for any…
We take into account the Coulomb (N + 1)-body problem with N = 12, 24, 60. One of the particles has positive charge Q > 0, and the remaining N have all the same negative charge q < 0. These particles move under the Coulomb force, and the…
We prove that, on a closed surface, a Lagrangian system defined by a Tonelli Lagrangian $L$ possesses a periodic orbit that is a local minimizer of the free-period action functional on every energy level belonging to the low range of…
We study three sub-problems of the N-body problem that have two degrees of freedom, namely the n-pyramidal problem, the planar double-polygon problem, and the spatial double-polygon problem. We prove the existence of several families of…
The family of planar linear chains are found as collision-free action minimizers of the spatial $N$-body problem with equal masses under $D_N$ or $D_N \times \zz_2$-symmetry constraint and different types of topological constraints. This…
We prove the existence of planar $D_n$--equivariant choreographies in the $n$--body problem with homogeneous potential of degree $-\alpha$, $0<\alpha<2$. Each body follows the same closed path, rotated and time-shifted, forming a…
The aim of this paper is to study the motion of $2+n$-body problem where two equal masses are assumed to be fixed. We assume that the value of each fixed mass is equal to $M>0$ and the remaining $n$ moving particles have equal masses $m>0$.…
We consider non-autonomous $N$-body-type problems with strong force type potentials at the origin and sub-quadratic growth at infinity, and using Ljusternik-Schnirelmann theory, we prove the existence of unbounded sequences of critical…
In this paper we study the existence of periodic orbits with prescribed energy levels of convex Lagrangian systems on complete Riemannian manifolds. We extend the existence results of Contreras by developing a modified minimax principal to…
In this paper we study the existence and the dynamics of a very special class of motions, which satisfy a strong global minimization property. More precisely, we call a free time minimizer a curve which satisfies the least action principle…
For $n$-body problem with arbitrary positive masses, we prove there are regularizable collinear periodic solutions for any ordering of the masses, going from a simultaneous binary collision to another in half of a period with half of the…
It is shown that in the planar equal-mass four-body problem, there exist two sets of new action minimizers connecting two planar boundary configurations with fixed symmetry axes and specific order constraints on the four bodies: a double…
Symmetry plays a basic role in variational problems (settled e.g. in $\mathbb R^{n}$ or in a more general manifold), for example to deal with the lack of compactness which naturally appear when the problem is invariant under the action of a…
We show that the Lagrangian of classical mechanics on a Riemannian manifold of bounded geometry carries a periodic solution of motion with rescribed energy, provided the potential satisfies an asymptotic growth condition, changes sign, and…