Narrow Results

Our main objective is to explore the shape and geometry of the limiting curves of the structures that define the escape properties of a particle from a lobular domain in a multiwell potential. For this purpose, we examine the lower umbilical catastrophe $D_5$, for $\alpha =1$, by calculating the Lyapunov orbit at the entrance of the lobular region as well as the set of incoming asymptotic trajectories to it and the set of successive intersections of this set with a proper surface of section.

In this paper, we study the effect of Gaussian white noise on escapes in Helmholtz oscillator whose basin of attraction has a integral structure in the absence of noise. Four different ways are adopted to implement the noise perturbation, namely, the external forcing, damping coefficient, strength and phase of the external forcing of oscillator have been subjected to noise, respectively. It is found that in the first, second and third cases of noise perturbation, when the noise intensity D > 0, the escapes are triggered and as D is further increased the escapes become more serious. Whereas, in the last case of noise perturbation, no escape can be observed, even with lager value of noise intensity. These phenomena imply that noise-perturbed external forcing, damping coefficient and forcing strength will make it easier to induce and enhance escapes in dynamical Helmholtz oscillator.

The energy-optimal migration of a chaotic oscillator from one attractor to another coexisting attractor is investigated via an analogy between the Hamiltonian theory of fluctuations and Hamiltonian formulation of the control problem. We demonstrate both on physical grounds and rigorously that the Wentzel–Freidlin Hamiltonian arising in the analysis of fluctuations is equivalent to Pontryagin's Hamiltonian in the control problem with an additive linear unrestricted control. The deterministic optimal control function is identified with the optimal fluctuational force. Numerical and analogue experiments undertaken to verify these ideas demonstrate that, in the limit of small noise intensity, fluctuational escape from the chaotic attractor occurs via a unique (optimal) path corresponding to a unique (optimal) fluctuational force. Initial conditions on the chaotic attractor are identified. The solution of the boundary value control problem for the Pontryagin Hamiltonian is found numerically. It is shown that this solution is approximated very accurately by the optimal fluctuational force found using statistical analysis of the escape trajectories. A second series of numerical experiments on the deterministic system (i.e. in the absence of noise) show that a control function of precisely the same shape and magnitude is indeed able to instigate escape. It is demonstrated that this control function minimizes the cost functional and the corresponding energy is found to be smaller than that obtained with some earlier adaptive control algorithms.

Recent progress towards an understanding of fluctuational escape from chaotic attractors (CAs) is reviewed and discussed in the contexts of both continuous systems and maps. It is shown that, like the simpler case of escape from a regular attractor, a unique most probable escape path (MPEP) is followed from a CA to the boundary of its basin of attraction. This remains true even where the boundary structure is fractal. The importance of the boundary conditions on the attractor is emphasized. It seems that a generic feature of the escape path is that it passes via certain unstable periodic orbits. The problems still remaining to be solved are identified and considered.

This work deals with the nonlinear dynamics of a microelectromechanical system constituted by an imperfect microbeam under an axial load and an electric excitation. The device is characterized by a bistable static configuration. We analyze the single-mode dynamics and describe the overall scenario of the response, up to the inevitable escape, when both the frequency and the electrodynamic voltage are considered as driving parameters. We observe the presence of several competing attractors leading to a considerable versatility of behavior, which may have many feasible applications. Extensive numerical simulations are performed. The frequency-dynamic voltage behavior chart is obtained, which detects the theoretical boundaries of appearance and disappearance of the main attractors. Taking into account the erosion of the double well, we investigate the final response when each attractor vanishes. All these results represent the limit when disturbances are absent, which never occurs in practice. To extend them to the practical case where disturbances exist, we develop a dynamical integrity analysis. This is performed via curves of constant percentage of local integrity measure, which give quantitative information about the changes in the structural safety. For each attractor, we examine both the practical disappearance, by analyzing the robustness of its basin along the range of existence, and the practical final response, by detecting where safe jump to another attractor may be ensured and where instead dynamic pull-in may arise. These curves may be used to establish safety factors in order to operate the device according to the desired outcome, depending on the expected disturbances.