Relativistic chaotic scattering: Unveiling scaling laws for trapped trajectories

Abstract

In this paper we study different types of phase space structures which appear in the context of relativistic chaotic scattering. By using the relativistic version of the Hénon-Heiles Hamiltonian, we numerically study the topology of different kind of exit basins and compare it with the case of low velocities in which the Newtonian version of the system is valid. Specifically, we numerically study the escapes in the phase space, in the energy plane, and in the β plane, which richly characterize the dynamics of the system. In all cases, fractal structures are present, and the escaping dynamics is characterized. In every case a scaling law is numerically obtained in which the percentage of the trapped trajectories as a function of the relativistic parameter β and the energy is obtained. Our work could be useful in the context of charged particles which eventually can be trapped in the magnetosphere, where the analysis of these structures can be relevant.