Planetary dynamics in the system α Centauri: The stability diagrams

The stability of the motion of a hypothetical planet in the binary system alpha Cen A-B has been investigated. The analysis has been performed within the framework of a planar (restricted and full) three-body problem for the case of prograde orbits. Based on a representative set of initial data, we have obtained the Lyapunov spectra of the motion of a triple system with a single planet. Chaotic domains have been identified in the pericenter distance-eccentricity plane of initial conditions for the planet through a statistical analysis of the data obtained. We have studied the correspondence of these chaotic domains to the domains of initial conditions that lead to the planet's encounter with one of the binary's stars or to the escape of the planet from the system. We show that the stability criterion based on the maximum Lyapunov exponent gives a more clear-cut boundary of the instability domains than does the encounterescape criterion at the same integration time. The typical Lyapunov time of chaotic motion is similar to 500 yr for unstable outer orbits and similar to 60 yr for unstable inner ones. The domain of chaos expands significantly as the initial orbital eccentricity of the planet increases. The chaos-order boundary has a fractal structure due to the presence of orbital resonances.