English

Shape Space Figure-$8$ Solution of Three Body Problem with Two Equal Masses

Dynamical Systems 2016-08-31 v2

Abstract

In a preprint by Montgomery \cite{Mo99}, the author attempted to prove the existence of a shape space Figure-88 solution of the Newtonian three body problem with two equal masses (it looks like a figure 88 in the shape space, which is different from the famous Figure-88 solution with three equal masses \cite{CM00}). Unfortunately there is an error in the proof and the problem is still open. Consider the α\alpha-homogeneous Newton-type potential, 1/rα,1/r^{\alpha}, using action minimization method, we prove the existence of this solution, for α(1,2)\alpha \in (1,2); for α=1\alpha=1 (the Newtonian potential), an extra condition is required, which unfortunately seems hard to verify at this moment.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1507.02892,
  title  = {Shape Space Figure-$8$ Solution of Three Body Problem with Two Equal Masses},
  author = {Guowei Yu},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1507.02892},
  year   = {2016}
}

Comments

23 pages, 4 figures

R2 v1 2026-06-22T10:09:34.022Z