TY - JOUR

T1 - Planetary dynamics in the system α Centauri

T2 - The stability diagrams

AU - Popova, E. A.

AU - Shevchenko, I. I.

PY - 2012/9/1

Y1 - 2012/9/1

N2 - The stability of the motion of a hypothetical planet in the binary system α Cen A-B has been investigated. The analysis has been performed within the framework of a planar (restricted and full) three-body problem for the case of prograde orbits. Based on a representative set of initial data, we have obtained the Lyapunov spectra of the motion of a triple system with a single planet. Chaotic domains have been identified in the pericenter distance-eccentricity plane of initial conditions for the planet through a statistical analysis of the data obtained. We have studied the correspondence of these chaotic domains to the domains of initial conditions that lead to the planet's encounter with one of the binary's stars or to the escape of the planet from the system. We show that the stability criterion based on the maximum Lyapunov exponent gives a more clear-cut boundary of the instability domains than does the encounterescape criterion at the same integration time. The typical Lyapunov time of chaotic motion is ~500 yr for unstable outer orbits and ~60 yr for unstable inner ones. The domain of chaos expands significantly as the initial orbital eccentricity of the planet increases. The chaos-order boundary has a fractal structure due to the presence of orbital resonances.

AB - The stability of the motion of a hypothetical planet in the binary system α Cen A-B has been investigated. The analysis has been performed within the framework of a planar (restricted and full) three-body problem for the case of prograde orbits. Based on a representative set of initial data, we have obtained the Lyapunov spectra of the motion of a triple system with a single planet. Chaotic domains have been identified in the pericenter distance-eccentricity plane of initial conditions for the planet through a statistical analysis of the data obtained. We have studied the correspondence of these chaotic domains to the domains of initial conditions that lead to the planet's encounter with one of the binary's stars or to the escape of the planet from the system. We show that the stability criterion based on the maximum Lyapunov exponent gives a more clear-cut boundary of the instability domains than does the encounterescape criterion at the same integration time. The typical Lyapunov time of chaotic motion is ~500 yr for unstable outer orbits and ~60 yr for unstable inner ones. The domain of chaos expands significantly as the initial orbital eccentricity of the planet increases. The chaos-order boundary has a fractal structure due to the presence of orbital resonances.

KW - celestial mechanics

KW - methods: numerical

KW - planetary systems

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84866461974&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1134/S1063773712090046

DO - 10.1134/S1063773712090046

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84866461974

VL - 38

SP - 581

EP - 588

JO - Astronomy Letters

JF - Astronomy Letters

SN - 1063-7737

IS - 9

ER -