Properties of transit trajectory in the restricted three and four-body problem

In the restricted three-body problem if the Jacobi constant is just below the value corresponding to Lagrangian point only a little neck exists around the equilibrium point and capture trajectories are indicated as low-energy. Capture properties depend on the dynamics around these critical points and qualitative results can be obtained using linearized systems. In this paper, to study transit trajectory properties in the restricted three and four-body problem, the Earth-Moon-Sun-Satellite system is considered as example and studied using different models. In the circular restricted three-body problem (Earth-Moon-Satellite), transit, non transit and asymptotic trajectories, are easily identified by using the principal reference frame. Dynamics around Lagrangian point are then studied introducing the Moon eccentricity into the elliptical restricted three-body model. A preferential region for transit orbit is individuated and studied as a function of eigenvalue properties. To introduce the Sun effect, the bi-circular four-body model is considered and dynamics around Lagrangian points studied as a function of angular distance between Earth-Sun and Earth-Moon line. Finally, results obtained in the elliptical three-body model and bi-circular four-body model, are compared with numerical simulations using real Sun-Moon-Earth ephemeris. (C) 2012 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.