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Planar Central Configurations of Four Equal Masses: Classification and Morse Indices

  • Xiaoxiang Huangfu
  • Huatong Shen
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Abstract

We study the planar central configurations of four equal positive masses under homogeneous interactions with force exponent A>2. For 2<A≤ 3, we prove that there are exactly four types of configurations up to similarity and relabeling: the square, the centered equilateral triangle, a unique nontrivial concave kite, and a unique collinear configuration. Combined with known results for A>3, this completes the classification for all A>2 and gives an affirmative answer to Problem 11 of Albouy, Cabral, and Santos. We also establish the nondegeneracy modulo rotation of these configurations and determine their Morse indices, confirming Hampton's Conjecture 2. Our proofs are based on analytic arguments and exact algebraic calculations.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@misc{huangfu2026planar,
  title = {{Planar Central Configurations of Four Equal Masses: Classification and Morse Indices}},
  author = {Xiaoxiang Huangfu and Huatong Shen},
  howpublished = {arXiv},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2611.06465},
  eprint = {2611.06465},
  archivePrefix = {arXiv},
  url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.06465},
}
RIS
TY  - UNPB
TI  - Planar Central Configurations of Four Equal Masses: Classification and Morse Indices
AU  - Xiaoxiang Huangfu
AU  - Huatong Shen
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/04
PB  - arXiv
DO  - 10.48550/arxiv.2611.06465
UR  - https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.06465
AB  - We study the planar central configurations of four equal positive masses under homogeneous interactions with force exponent A>2. For 2<A≤ 3, we prove that there are exactly four types of configurations up to similarity and relabeling: the square, the centered equilateral triangle, a unique nontrivial concave kite, and a unique collinear configuration. Combined with known results for A>3, this completes the classification for all A>2 and gives an affirmative answer to Problem 11 of Albouy, Cabral, and Santos. We also establish the nondegeneracy modulo rotation of these configurations and determine their Morse indices, confirming Hampton's Conjecture 2. Our proofs are based on analytic arguments and exact algebraic calculations.
ER  -