Chaos

A Dynamical System is chaotic if it

1. Has a Dense collection of points with periodic orbits,

2. Is sensitive to the initial condition of the system (so that initially nearby points can evolve quickly intovery different states), and

3. Is Topologically Transitive.

An example of a simple physical system which displays chaotic behavior is the motion of a magneticpendulum over a plane containing two or more attractive magnets. The magnet over which thependulum ultimately comes to rest (due to frictional damping) is highly dependent on the startingposition and velocity of the pendulum (Dickau). Another such system is a double pendulum (a pendulum with another pendulum attached to its end).

References

Bai-Lin, H. Chaos. Singapore: World Scientific, 1984.

Baker, G. L. and Gollub, J. B. Chaotic Dynamics: An Introduction, 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996.

Cvitanovic, P. Universality in Chaos: A Reprint Selection, 2nd ed. Bristol: Adam Hilger, 1989.

Dickau, R. M. ``Magnetic Pendulum.''http://forum.swarthmore.edu/advanced/robertd/magneticpendulum.html.

Drazin, P. G. Nonlinear Systems. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1992.

Field, M. and Golubitsky, M. Symmetry in Chaos: A Search for Pattern in Mathematics, Art and Nature. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1992.

Gleick, J. Chaos: Making a New Science. New York: Penguin, 1988.

Guckenheimer, J. and Holmes, P. Nonlinear Oscillations, Dynamical Systems, and Bifurcations of Vector Fields, 3rd ed. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1997.

Lichtenberg, A. and Lieberman, M. Regular and Stochastic Motion, 2nd ed. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1994.

Lorenz, E. N. The Essence of Chaos. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 1996.

Ott, E. Chaos in Dynamical Systems. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1993.

Ott, E.; Sauer, T.; and Yorke, J. A. Coping with Chaos: Analysis of Chaotic Data and the Exploitation of Chaotic Systems. New York: Wiley, 1994.

Peitgen, H.-O.; Jürgens, H.; and Saupe, D. Chaos and Fractals: New Frontiers of Science. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1992.

Poon, L. ``Chaos at Maryland.'' http://www-chaos.umd.edu.

Rasband, S. N. Chaotic Dynamics of Nonlinear Systems. New York: Wiley, 1990.

Strogatz, S.  H. Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos, with Applications to Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Engineering. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1994.

Tabor, M. Chaos and Integrability in Nonlinear Dynamics: An Introduction. New York: Wiley, 1989.

Tufillaro, N.; Abbott, T. R.; and Reilly, J. An Experimental Approach to Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos. Redwood City, CA: Addison-Wesley, 1992.

Wiggins, S. Global Bifurcations and Chaos: Analytical Methods. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1988.

Wiggins, S. Introduction to Applied Nonlinear Dynamical Systems and Chaos. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1990.

• Unitary Aliquot Sequence
• Unitary Amicable Pair
• Unitary Divisor
• Unitary Group
• Unitary Matrix
• Unitary Multiperfect Number
• Unitary Multiplicative Character
• Unitary Perfect Number
• Unitary Sociable Numbers
• Unitary Transformation
• Unitary Unimodular Group
• Unit Circle
• Unit Disk
• Unit Fraction
• Unit Matrix
• Unit Point
• Unit Ring
• Unit Sphere
• Unit Square
• Unit Step
• Unit Vector
• Unity
• Univalent Function
• Univariate Function
• Univariate Polynomial