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Abstract

Dynamics of a point-particle system interacting gravitationally according to the general theory of relativity can be analyzed within the canonical formalism of Arnowitt, Deser, and Misner. To describe the property of being a point particle one can employ Dirac delta distribution in the energy-momentum tensor of the system. We report some mathematical difficulties which arise in deriving the 3rd post-Newtonian Hamilton's function for such a system. We also offer ways to overcome partially these difficulties.