Equilibrium Points in the Restricted Four-Body Problem with Radiation Pressure

Abstract

This paper studies numerically the photogravitational version of the restricted four-body problem, where an infinitesimal particle is moving under the gravitational attraction and radiation pressure of three bodies much bigger than the particle, the primaries. The fourth body does not affect the motion of the three bodies.Thesebodiesarealwaysattheverticesofanequilateraltriangle(Lagrangeconfiguration).Weconsider all the primary bodies (m1, m2, m3) as radiation sources with radiation factors of the two bodies (m2 and m3) equal. In this paper we suppose the masses of the three primary bodies are equal. It is found that the involved parameters influenced the positions of the equilibrium points. The linear stability of the relative equilibrium solutions is also studied and all these points are unstable.