On the Sun-shadow dynamics

We investigate the planar motion of a mass particle in a force field defined by patching Kepler’s and Stark’s dynamics. This model is called Sun-shadow dynamics, referring to the motion of an Earth satellite perturbed by the solar radiation pressure and considering the Earth shadow effect. The existence of periodic orbits of brake type is proved, and the Sun-shadow dynamics is investigated by means of a Poincaré map defined by a quantity that is not conserved along the flow. We also present the results of our numerical investigations on some properties of the map. Moreover, we construct the invariant manifolds of the hyperbolic fixed points related to the periodic orbits of brake type. The global picture of the map shows evidence of regular and chaotic behaviour. •Proof of the existence of periodic orbits in a system where two different dynamics are patched.•Effects of the passage of a satellite through the shadow of the Earth.•Regular and chaotic regions appearing in the Poincaré map of the Sun–shadow dynamics.