Analytical description of the structure of chaos


Abstract in English

We consider analytical formulae that describe the chaotic regions around the main periodic orbit $(x=y=0)$ of the H{e}non map. Following our previous paper (Efthymiopoulos, Contopoulos, Katsanikas $2014$) we introduce new variables $(xi, eta)$ in which the product $xieta=c$ (constant) gives hyperbolic invariant curves. These hyperbolae are mapped by a canonical transformation $Phi$ to the plane $(x,y)$, giving Moser invariant curves. We find that the series $Phi$ are convergent up to a maximum value of $c=c_{max}$. We give estimates of the errors due to the finite truncation of the series and discuss how these errors affect the applicability of analytical computations. For values of the basic parameter $kappa$ of the H{e}non map smaller than a critical value, there is an island of stability, around a stable periodic orbit $S$, containing KAM invariant curves. The Moser curves for $c leq 0.32$ are completely outside the last KAM curve around $S$, the curves with $0.32<c<0.41$ intersect the last KAM curve and the curves with $0.41leq c< c_{max} simeq 0.49$ are completely inside the last KAM curve. All orbits in the chaotic region around the periodic orbit $(x=y=0)$, although they seem random, belong to Moser invariant curves, which, therefore define a structure of chaos. Orbits starting close and outside the last KAM curve remain close to it for a stickiness time that is estimated analytically using the series $Phi$. We finally calculate the periodic orbits that accumulate close to the homoclinic points, i.e. the points of intersection of the asymptotic curves from $x=y=0$, exploiting a method based on the self-intersections of the invariant Moser curves. We find that all the computed periodic orbits are generated from the stable orbit $S$ for smaller values of the H{e}non parameter $kappa$, i.e. they are all regular periodic orbits.

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