Periodic trajectories for a two-dimensional nonintegrable Hamiltonian (Q1098659)

A numerical study is made of the classical periodic trajectories for two- dimensional, nonintegrable Hamiltonian \(H=1/2(p\) \(2_ x+p\) \(2_ y)+(y- x\) 2/2) \(2+0.05\) x 2. In addition to x-y pictures of the trajectories, E- \(\tau\) (energy-period) plots of the periodic families are presented. Efforts have been made to include all trajectories with short periods and all simple branchings of these trajectories. The monodromy matrix has been calculated in all cases, and from it the stability properties are derived. The topology of the E-\(\tau\) plot has been explored, with the following results. One family may have several stable regions. The plot is not completely connected; there are islands. The plot is not a tree; there are cycles. There are isochronous branchings; period-doublings, and period-multiplyings of higher orders, and examples of each of these are presented. There is often more than one branch issuing from a branch point. Some general empirical rules are inferred. In particular, the existence of isochronous branchings is seen to be a consequence of the symmetry of the Hamiltonian. Finally, some nonperiodic trajectories are calculated to illustrate the fact that stable periodic trajectories lie in ``regular'' regions of phase space, while unstable ones lie in ``chaotic'' regions.