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On the sensitivity of the N-body problem to small changes in initial conditions. IIIThe effects of increasing the softening parameter, epsilon, in the two body-forces are investigated in order to ascertain the relative importance for this instability of close encounters and the bulk mean field. Consideration is given to both the mean e-folding times for individual particle perturbations and the e-folding times for the total 3N-dimensional configuration space perturbation, which continues to grow exponentially until the typical perturbation of an individual particle becomes comparable to the size of the system. Close encounters and the bulk mean field are both important and apparently reinforce each other: the relatively smooth, systematic tidal force associated with the mean field tends to amplify divergences associated with 'kicks' induced by shorter range effects, which remain important even for large N.
Document ID
19930031003
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Kandrup, Henry E.
(NASA Headquarters Washington, DC United States)
Smith, Haywood, Jr.
(NASA Headquarters Washington, DC United States)
Willmes, David E.
(Florida Univ. Gainesville, United States)
Date Acquired
August 15, 2013
Publication Date
November 10, 1992
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal, Part 1
Volume: 399
Issue: 2
ISSN: 0004-637X
Subject Category
Physics (General)
Accession Number
93A15000
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF PHY-90-03333
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGT-40015
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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