Equilibrium configurations for a system of N particles in the plane

Abstract

We bring together work on central configurations of the classical N-body problem and on asymptotic properties of a system of repelling particles. By introducing a parameter β, we consider configurations that occur in these problems to be special cases of a more general system. We describe an asymmetric configuration obtained in the eight-particle system and investigate a bifurcation occurring in the four-particle system. Show more