Periodic solution of the nonlinear Sitnikov restricted three-body problem

Abstract The objective of this paper is to find periodic solutions of the circular Sitnikov problem by the multiple scales method which is used to remove the secular terms and find the periodic approximated solutions in closed forms. Comparisons among a numerical solution (NS), the first approximated solution (FA) and the second approximated solution (SA) via multiple scales method are investigated graphically under different initial conditions. We observe that the initial conditions play a vital role in the numerical and approximated solutions behaviour. The obtained motion is periodic, but the difference of its amplitude is directly proportional with the initial conditions. We prove that the obtained motion by the numerical or the second approximated solutions is a regular and periodic, when the infinitesimal body starts its motion from a nearer position to the common center of primaries. Otherwise when the start point distance of motion is far from this center, the numerical solution may not be represent a periodic motion for along time, while the second approximated solution may present a chaotic motion, however it is always periodic all time. But the obtained motion by the first approximated solution is periodic and has regularity in its periodicity all time. Finally we remark that the provided solutions by multiple scales methods reflect the true motion of the Sitnikov restricted three–body problem, and the second approximation has more accuracy than the first approximation. Moreover the solutions of multiple scales technique are more realistic than the numerical solution because there is always a warranty that the motion is periodic all time.