Relative equilibria of mechanical systems with rotational symmetry.

We consider the task of classifying relative equilibria for mechanical systems with rotational symmetry. We divide relative equilibria into two natural groups: a generic class which we call normal, and a non-generic abnormal class. The eigenvalues of the locked inertia tensor descend to shape-space and endow it with the geometric structure of a three-web with the property that any normal relative equilibrium occurs as a critical point of the potential restricted to a leaf from the web. To demonstrate the utility of this web structure we show how the spherical three-body problem gives rise to a web of Cayley cubics on the three-sphere, and use this to fully classify the relative equilibria for the case of equal masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]