Jaime Cruz Sampedro - Newton's Eq

Exotic solutions to Newtons equation
with angular potentials

Jaime Cruz Sampedro
UAMA
email: jacs@correo.uam.mx
II EIM, 2009
Jaime Cruz Sampedro (UAMA) Exotic solutions II EIM, 2009 1 / 25
Abstract
In this talk we describe some results about the asymptotic behavior of
solutions to Newtons equation with angular potentials. First we sketch
some classical results and then we present, in more detail, some recent
contributions of the author.
Sketch of the talk
I. Newtons equation
II. Motion in a central potential
III. Motion in an angular potential
IV. A contribution of the author
I. Newtons equation
Equation number one in the study of the motion of a classical particle is
Newtons equation
r(t) = F(r(t)).
F is a vector eld on R
n
that represents the force acting on the particle of
mass m = 1, whose position at time t is given by r(t).
Denition
We say that Fis conservative if F = V, where V is a real-valued
function on R
n
called the potential.
Theorem
If F is conservative, then
E(t) =
| r(t)|
2
2
+ V(r(t))
is constant in time.
Question
Let r(t) be a unbounded solution to Newtons equation
r(t) = V(r(t))
and dene
(t) =
r(t)
|r(t)|
.
What is the asymptotic behavior of (t) as t ?
Theorem
If F is conservative, then
E(t) =
| r(t)|
2
2
+ V(r(t))
is constant in time.
Question
Let r(t) be a unbounded solution to Newtons equation
r(t) = V(r(t))
and dene
(t) =
r(t)
|r(t)|
.
What is the asymptotic behavior of (t) as t ?
II. Motion in a radial potential
Denition
A force eld F is called radial if
F(r) = f (r ), = r/r , r = |r|.
Fact: Every radial eld is conservative.
Theorem
The orbit of a particle in a radial eld R
n
is a plane orbit. In R
3
this fact
is due to the conservation of the angular momentum L = r(t) r(t).
Law of gravitation
The force of attraction between two bodies of masses M and m = 1 is
given by
F = V(r ),
where V(r ) = /r and = GM.
In this case the orbit of m is a conic given by
r =
|L|
2
/
1 + e cos
,
which is determined by the energy E, since its eccentricity is given by
e =
1 +
_
2|L|
2
G
2
M
2
_
E.
Keplerian orbits
For E > 0, e > 1, the orbit is an hyperbole.
For E = 0, e = 1, the orbit is a parabola.
Si E < 0, e < 1, the orbit is an ellipse.
For E 0, lim
t
(t) exists.
Let us consider unbounded orbits in potentials of the form
V(r ) = /r
, > 0, > 0,
Theorem
Let r(t) be an unbounded solution to r = r/r
+2
with E > 0. Then,
there exists the limit
= lim
t
(t).
Theorem
If E = 0, 0 < < 2, then there exists orbits of the form
r (t)
2
=
2
1 + cos ( (2 )(t))
.
These orbits are known as Cote spirals.
We keep V(r ) = /r
and E = 0.
For Cote spirals we have
lim
t
(t) = 2/(2 ) y
= lim
t
(t) exists.
If = 2 and c = 2 |L|
2
> 0, we have a spiral of the form
r (t)
2
= 2
ct +, (t) = (|L|/2
c) log(2
ct +) +.
In this case,
= lim
t
(t) does not exist if L = 0.
Theorem
Let V be a radial potential such that |V(r )| C/r
, with > 2, then:

1
If L = 0, the orbit is a straight line.
2
If L = 0, the orbits are bounded.
This last is not valid anymore if the potential is not radial.
Theorem (JC-Gutierrez, AIMS09)
There exists a non-radial potential V(r , ), with > 2, that satises
V(r , ) = O(r
) and possesses an orbit which goes to innity in spirals.

Proof. If S(r , ) = r
(2)/2
sin(log r ), then
V(r , ) = |S(r , )|
2
/2
possesses the desired property.
Theorem
Let V be a radial potential such that |V(r )| C/r
, with > 2, then:

1
If L = 0, the orbit is a straight line.
2
If L = 0, the orbits are bounded.
This last is not valid anymore if the potential is not radial.
There exists a non-radial potential V(r , ), with > 2, that satises
V(r , ) = O(r
) and possesses an orbit which goes to innity in spirals.

Proof. If S(r , ) = r
(2)/2
sin(log r ), then
V(r , ) = |S(r , )|
2
/2
possesses the desired property.
III. Motion in an angular potential
Denition
A potential V is called homogeneous of degree zero if r V(r) = 0 or,
equivalently, if
V(r) = V(), S
n1
, n 2.
If n = 2, in polar coordinates this means that
V(r , ) = V().
Because of this reason we say that V is angular.
We remind our question:
What is the behavior of (t) = r(t)/|r(t)| as t goes to innity?
Theorem (Herbst, 91)
If V is an angular potential and r(t) is a solution to
r(t) = V(r(t)),
then
lim
t
p
(t) = 0 and lim

t
V((t)) = 0.
Here, p(t) = r(t) and p
(t) = p(t) ((t) p(t)) (t).

We remind our question:
What is the behavior of (t) = r(t)/|r(t)| as t goes to innity?
If V is an angular potential and r(t) is a solution to
r(t) = V(r(t)),
then
lim
t
p
(t) = 0 and lim

t
V((t)) = 0.
Here, p(t) = r(t) and p
(t) = p(t) ((t) p(t)) (t).

Let V be an an angular potential and let
Cr = { S
n1
: V() = 0}.
If r(t) is a solution to r(t) = V(r(t)), then:
(i) For n = 2,
lim
t
(t) =
Cr.
(ii) For n 3 y Cr nite,
lim
t
(t) =
Cr.
Conjecture (1991)
The limit in (ii) always exists.
Let V be an an angular potential and let
Cr = { S
n1
: V() = 0}.
If r(t) is a solution to r(t) = V(r(t)), then:
(i) For n = 2,
lim
t
(t) =
Cr.
(ii) For n 3 y Cr nite,
lim
t
(t) =
Cr.
Conjecture (1991)
The limit in (ii) always exists.
Sketch of the proof for n = 2
In polar coordinates Newtons equations take the form
r = r

2
,
_
r
2

(),
where () = V(cos , sin ).
from this equations and conservation of energy,
1
2
( r
2
+ (r

)
2
) + V(cos , sin ) = C,
we nd that there exists 0 such that
r (t) .
Sketch of the proof for n = 2
In polar coordinates Newtons equations take the form
r = r

2
,
_
r
2

(),
where () = V(cos , sin ).
from this equations and conservation of energy,
1
2
( r
2
+ (r

)
2
) + V(cos , sin ) = C,
we nd that there exists 0 such that
r (t) .
If we write
1
() = (t) and ((t)) = r (t), where
(t) =
_
t
1
ds
r (s)
,
then
d
d
=
_
d
1
d
_
2
,
d
d
_
1
2
_
d
1
d
_
2
+(
1
)
_
=
_
d
1
d
_
2
.
Note that (t) , as t , and ((t)) . Then
lim
d
1
d
= 0
and since is of constant sign for large , then the limit
lim
_
1
2
_
d
1
d
_
2
+(
1
)
_
= E exists.
If we write
1
() = (t) and ((t)) = r (t), where
(t) =
_
t
1
ds
r (s)
,
then
d
d
=
_
d
1
d
_
2
,
d
d
_
1
2
_
d
1
d
_
2
+(
1
)
_
=
_
d
1
d
_
2
.
Note that (t) , as t , and ((t)) . Then
lim
d
1
d
= 0
and since is of constant sign for large , then the limit
lim
_
1
2
_
d
1
d
_
2
+(
1
)
_
= E exists.
Suppose that
= liminf
1
() < = limsup
1
().
Given (, ), by continuity there is a sequence
k
going to innity
such that
1
(
k
) = .
Since d
1
/d 0 we have
V(cos , sin ) = lim
k
_
1
2
_
d
1
d
_
2
+(
1
(
k
))
_
= E, < < .
Thus, V is constant in the angular sector < < and therefore
r(t) = 0,
on that sector.
Finally, since p
(t) 0, then
1
() has a limit. Impossible!
Since d
1
/d 0 we have
V(cos , sin ) = lim
k
_
1
2
_
d
1
d
_
2
+(
1
(
k
))
_
= E, < < .
Thus, V is constant in the angular sector < < and therefore
r(t) = 0,
on that sector.
Finally, since p
(t) 0, then
1
() has a limit. Impossible!
IV. A contribution of the author
Theorem(JC, QTDS08)
Let V be an angular potential in R
n
, n 3, and suppose that
Cr = { S
n1
: V() = 0}
is totally disconnected. If r(t) is a solution to
r(t) = V(r(t)),
then
lim
t
(t) =
Cr.
The proof of this result is based on the following facts:
1
lim
t
V((t)) = 0.
2
If K is a compact totally disconnected subset of a separable metric
space X, then for each x, y in K, x = y, there exist disjoint sets U
and V open in X such that x U, y V, and K U V.
This result is optimal in the sense that if Cr possesses a non trivial
connected component, then the limit may not exist.
There exists an angular potential V, smooth on R
3
\ {0}, such that Cr
contains the equator of S
2
and such that Newtons equation possesses an
orbit r(t) for which (t) = r(t)/|r(t)| does not have a limit as t .
Proof. Let T be a homogeneous function of degree zero, smooth on
R
3
\ {0}, and consider
S(x, y, z) = rT(x, y, z),
where r =
_
x
2
+ y
2
+ z
2
. Then S is a homogeneous function of degree
one on R
3
\ {0} and thus
V(r) =
1
2
|S(r)|
2
is a smooth angular potential on R
3
\ {0}.
If r(t) is an orbit of
r = S(r),
one can show that r(t) is a solution to Newtons equation and that
(t) = r(t)/|r(t)| satises
= T(). (1)
To construct the example we dene T in cylindrical coordinates by
T(, , z) = e
r
2
/z
2
sin
_
r
r

_
, z = 0;
= 0, z = 0.
Our construction is inspired in an example, due to Palis and de Melo, of a
two dimensional gradient vector eld whose limit is a circle.
Note that the equator of S
2
is a subset of Cr . We show that (1) has an
orbit that goes to the equator of S
2
in spirals.
Let U be the open subset of S
2
dened by
U =
_
(, , z) S
2
: > 0, z > 0, and T(, , z) < 0
_
.
U does not contain critical points of Tand if
[a, b] = {(, 0, z) S
2
: 1
1
1
1
2
},
then U is the region S
2
limited by [a, b] and by the spirals
A =
_
(, , z) S
2
: = 1
1
+
, 0
_
T
1
{0}
and
B =
_
(, , z) S
2
: = 1
1
+ 2
, 0
_
T
1
{0}.
Since T (A B) and points out towards the exterior of U, then
J = { [a, b] : the positive orbit of (, 0, z) goes out of U transv. to B }
is non empty and bounded below for some
1
> a. If
0
= inf J y P = (
0
, 0, z),
then the positive orbit of P stays inside U and thus has in spirals towards
the equator of S
2
.
Thanks a lot for your attention.
Email: jacs@correo.uam.mx

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Jaime Cruz Sampedro - Newton's Eq

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Exotic solutions to Newtons equation

with angular potentials

, with > 2, then:

) and possesses an orbit which goes to innity in spirals.

, with > 2, then:

) and possesses an orbit which goes to innity in spirals.

(t) = 0 and lim

(t) = p(t) ((t) p(t)) (t).

(t) = 0 and lim

(t) = p(t) ((t) p(t)) (t).

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Jaime Cruz Sampedro - Newton&#39;s Eq

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Jaime Cruz Sampedro - Newton&#39;s Eq

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Copyright:

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Exotic solutions to Newtons equation

with angular potentials

, with > 2, then:

) and possesses an orbit which goes to innity in spirals.

, with > 2, then:

) and possesses an orbit which goes to innity in spirals.

(t) = 0 and lim

(t) = p(t) ((t) p(t)) (t).

(t) = 0 and lim

(t) = p(t) ((t) p(t)) (t).

You might also like

Jaime Cruz Sampedro - Newton's Eq

Jaime Cruz Sampedro - Newton's Eq