Can N-Body be solved?

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tony873004
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Can N-Body be solved?

Post #1by tony873004 » 06.09.2004, 07:38

Is it possible that an analytical solution for the N-body problem does exist, but has thus far eluded our brightest mathamaticians? Or has it been proven that an analytic solution can not exist?

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Cham M
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Post #2by Cham » 06.09.2004, 17:04

Yes, there's a proof from Henri Poincar?, showing there is no analytical solution for the 3-bodies problem (so no analytical solution for the N-bodies problem too).

We can only have an analytical solution for some very special cases.

This is part of an important theory in classical mechanics, called "Dynamical chaotic systems", or "Chaos theory".
"Well! I've often seen a cat without a grin", thought Alice; "but a grin without a cat! It's the most curious thing I ever saw in all my life!"


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