Motion about equilibrium points in the Jupiter-Europa system with oblateness

Abstract

The study of motion of a test mass in the vicinity of an equilibrium point under the frame of restricted three body problem (RTBP) plays an important role in the trajectory design for different space missions. In this paper, motion of an infinitesimal mass has been described under the frame of Jupiter-Europa system with oblateness. At first, we have determined equilibrium points and then performed linear stability tests under the influence of oblateness of both the primaries. We found that due to oblateness, a considerable deviation in the existing results has occurred. Next, we have computed tadpole and horseshoe orbits in the neighbourhood of triangular equilibrium points and then the oblateness effect is recorded on these orbits. Finally, the evolution of orbits of infinitesimal mass about triangular equilibrium points have been estimated by using Poincaré surface of section technique and it is noticed that in presence of oblateness, quasi-periodic orbit dominates over the chaotic zones. These results will help in further study of more generalised models with perturbations.

Keywords

• jupiter-europa system
• oblateness
• equilibrium point
• linear stability test
• tadpole and horseshoe orbits
• poincaré surface of section