Abstract
The method of minimization of action is a powerful technique of proving the existence of particular and interesting solutions of the n-body problem, but it suffers from the possible interference of singularities. The minimization of action is an optimization and, after a short presentation of a few optimization theories, our analysis of interference of singularities will show that:
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(A)
An n-body solution minimizing the action between given boundary conditions has no discontinuity: all n-bodies have a continuous and bounded motion and thus all eventual singularities are collisions;
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(B)
A beautiful extension of Lambert’s theorem shows that, for these minimizing solutions, no double collision can occur at an intermediate time;
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(C)
The proof can be extended to triple and to multiple collisions. Thus, the method of minimization of action leads to pure n-body motions without singularity at any intermediate time, even if one or several collisions are imposed at initial and/or final times.
This method is suitable for non-infinitesimal masses only. Fortunately, a similar method, with the same general property with respect to the singularities, can be extended to n-body problems including infinitesimal masses.
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Marchal, C. (2002). How the Method of Minimization of Action Avoids Singularities. In: Celletti, A., Ferraz-Mello, S., Henrard, J. (eds) Modern Celestial Mechanics: From Theory to Applications. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2304-6_20
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2304-6_20
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