‘Islands of order’ found in chaotic three-body problem, study says

A team of researchers from Denmark’s University of Copenhagen suggests in a study published in the scientific journal Astronomy & Astrophysics: The famous three-body problem may not be as chaotic and unpredictable as previously thought.

The researchers note that there are ‘islands of order’ in these responses, that is, patterns that deviate from the chaotic movements that initially describe the phenomenon. If you are not familiar with the three-body problem and have not watched the Netflix series of the same name, I will explain it to you quickly.

When two celestial bodies interact in space, they maintain a stable balance. But, When a third body appears, the interaction between the three becomes completely chaotic and unpredictable, and there is no regularity. That’s why it was called the ‘three-body problem’.

To conduct the research, scientists used software that ran millions of simulations, aiming to explore all possible scenarios in situations involving the phenomenon. When analyzing the results, the researchers determined that most of these interactions exhibited regular patterns, ranging from 28% to 84% of the total process; these numbers also depend on the initial configuration of the three bodies.

“The theory states that when three objects meet, their interaction develops in a chaotic, non-orderly manner and completely separate from the starting point. But our millions of simulations show that there are gaps, ‘islands of order’ in this chaos “This depends directly on how the three objects are positioned relative to each other when they meet, as well as their speed and angle of approach,” explains Alessandro Alberto Trani, lead author and associate at the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen. .

Three-body problem and chaos

After developing the Tsunami software created to calculate the motions of astronomical objects, Trani configured it to run millions of simulations with three objects in common orbits. ‘Islands of regularity’ revealed regular patterns in this phenomenon. but these patterns depend on the initial positions, speeds and angles of the objects.

In an official statement, scientists say the new discoveries pose a major challenge for astronomers. When there is some regularity, calculations can be much more complex than in completely chaotic scenarios. In any case, researchers will continue to study the topic to deepen the understanding of the three-body problem.

“If the three-body problem were completely chaotic, we would see only a chaotic jumble of indistinguishable points, with all three outcomes mixed together with no discernible order. Instead, out of this chaotic sea emerge orderly ‘islands’ where the system behaves predictably, one by one.” It leads to uniform results and therefore uniform colours,” adds Trani.

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