Physics

Govind S. Krishnaswami
Chennai Mathematical Institute, Chennai

Abstract:
The classical three-body problem arose in an attempt to understand the
effect of the Sun on the Moon's Keplerian orbit around the Earth. It
has attracted the attention of some of the best astronomers,
physicists and mathematicians and led to the discovery of chaos. We
survey the three-body problem in its historical context from the work
of Newton-Euler-Lagrange through Delaunay-Hill-Poincare and up to more
recent developments on non-collisional singularities and
choreographies. Time permitting, we will briefly describe our work
with Himalaya Senapati on a geometrical approach to the three body
problem.