Poynting–Robertson and Oblateness Effects on the Equilibrium Points of the Perturbed R3BP: Application on Cen X-4 Binary System

Abstract

We examine the dynamical effects of Poynting–Robertson (P–R) drag and oblateness together with small perturbations in the Coriolis and centrifugal forces on the existence, location and stability of equilibrium points in the photogravitational restricted three-body problem. It is found that under constant P–R drag effect, collinear equilibrium points cease to exist numerically and of course analytically. The problem admits five non-collinear equilibrium points and it is found that the positions of these points depend on all the system parameters except small perturbation in the Coriolis force. Finally, we justify the relevance of the model in astronomy by applying it to Cen X-4 binary system, for which all the equilibrium points have been seen to be unstable.