Lidov-Kozai stability regions in the α Centauri system

Abstract

The stability of planets in the α Centauri AB stellar system has been studied extensively. However, most studies either focus on the orbital plane of the binary or consider inclined circular orbits. Here, we numerically investigate the stability of a possible planet in the α Centauri AB binary system for S-type orbits in an arbitrary spatial configuration. In particular, we focus on inclined orbits and explore the stability for different eccentricities and orientation angles. We show that large stable and regular regions are present for very eccentric and inclined orbits, corresponding to libration in the Lidov-Kozai resonance. We additionally show that these extreme orbits can survive over the age of the system, despite the effect of tides. Our results remain qualitatively the same for any compact binary system. © 2017 ESO.