Cutoff-independent ergodic approximation to the generic three-body problem [CL]

http://arxiv.org/abs/2002.11496


The gravitational three-body problem is generically chaotic and negative energy motions generically decay to a binary + free body. Within the ergodic approximation a statistical theory was introduced and a probability distribution over outcomes was determined. That distribution depends on a single adjustable parameter, the strong interaction radius. Here this cutoff is removed while keeping the probabilities finite. The associated expression and its derivation simplify. As an application, marginalized probability distributions are determined for energy, angular momentum and eccentricity as well as the ejection probability for each one of the masses. Two simpler limits are discussed corresponding to low and high dimensionless total angular momentum.

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B. Kol
Thu, 27 Feb 20
45/51

Comments: 10 pages