Chaos in a restricted problem of rotation of a rigid body with a fixed point

The paper deals with a transition to chaos in the phase-plane portrait of a restricted problem of rotation of a rigid body with a fixed point. Two interrelated mechanisms responsible for chaotisation have been indicated: 1) growth of the homoclinic structure and 2) development of cascades of period doubling bifurcations. On the zero level of the integral of areas, an adiabatic behavior of the system (as the energy tends to zero) has been noticed. Meander tori induced by the breakdown of the torsion property of the mapping have been found.