Value of e₁ as a function of time for system 1 in Table 2, as integrated by the simplified model F (Eqs. (25) and (56)) (bottom), and a schematic representation of the eccentricity vector e₁e^iϖ1, for four particular times (top). The schema explains the different stages of the eccentricity damping stabilisation mechanism. The drift in δ brings the centre of the circle drawn by e₁e^iϖ1 (equilibrium value of e₁ along the main branch) closer to the origin (see Fig. 1).