Abstract
We introduce a new generalized planar version of the collinear restricted four-body problem. In this version, all three main bodies are located on the horizontal x-axis, while they have unequal masses. The dynamical system contains two free parameters related to the masses and positions of the main bodies. We investigate the equilibrium dynamics of the system by determining how these two free parameters affect the dynamical properties of the equilibria, such as their position and linear stability. By deploying some standard numerical methods combined with rigorous and systematic analysis, we studied the equilibrium dynamics of the system and revealed its properties regarding the nature of the libration points and the connections with the parameters of the system.(c) 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.