Numerical chaos, symplectic integrators, and exponentially small splitting distances (Q1208893)

The integrable and nonintegrable discretizations of Duffing's equation are derived as reductions of discretizations of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation. In the case of the integrable discretization the authors show that the constants of motion as well as the expression for the homoclinic orbit follow from systematically applying the reduction to an integrable scheme. Having obtained an integrable discretization of Duffing's equation, the main idea is to view the nonintegrable discretization as a perturbation of the integrable discretization. Arguments are given why it is possible for the nonintegrable scheme to restore the homoclinic orbit at an exponentially fast rate which is faster than the order of the approximation, as \(h \to 0\). This suggests why there can be fundamental differences between symplectic and nonsymplectic discretizations of certain continuous Hamiltonian systems.