Arnold Diffusion in a Restricted Planar Four-Body Problem

Abstract

This paper constructs a certain planar four-body problem which exhibits fast energy growth. The system considered is a quasi-periodic perturbation of the Restricted Planar Circular three-body Problem (RPC3BP). Gelfreich-Turaev's and de la Llave's mechanism is employed to obtain the fast energy growth. The diffusion is created by a heteroclinic cycle formed by two Lyapunov periodic orbits surrounding $L_1$ and $L_2$ Lagrangian points and their heteroclinic intersections. Our model is the first known example in celestial mechanics of the a priori chaotic case of Arnold diffusion.