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Abstract

In this paper, we examine the existence, locations, and stability of the equilibrium points under the combined effects of Stokes drag and small perturbations in the Coriolis and centrifugal forces in the triangular restricted four-body problem (TR4BP) with variable mass. A triangular (Lagrangian) configuration is formed by the three primary bodies, which occupy the vertices of an equilateral triangle. All the primaries are treated as point masses to study the dynamical behavior of an infinitesimal body. The numerical results indicate that, under the influence of Stokes drag, none of the equilibrium points lie along a straight line. The centrifugal force has a significant impact on the locations of the equilibrium points, whereas the Coriolis force does not affect their locations. Furthermore, the linear stability of the equilibrium points is influenced by both the Coriolis and centrifugal forces. It is also observed that the regions of motion expand with increasing values of the centrifugal force parameter and the variable mass parameter, while they decrease as the dissipative constant increases. Moreover, all the libration points are found to be unstable over the entire range of parameter values considered. Finally, the relevance of this study is demonstrated through its application to a suitable astrophysical system.

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