Exotic attractors. From Liapunov stability to riddled basins (Q1373996)

Chapter 1 consists of a thorough review of the concepts used in the later chapters, assuming very little at the outset. Some results are established on the nature of Lyapunov and asymptotic stability and on the implications of transitivity (i.e. existence of a dense orbit) for the topology of the connected components of an invariant set. Some relations between the topological and ergodic properties of invariant sets and attractors are described. The author then discusses Axiom A, asymptotically stable and Milnor attractors. Counter-examples are given to illustrate the finer points of the results and definitions. In Chapter 2 the first set of results is described. Suppose \(A\) is a Lyapunov-stable transitive set with infinitely many connected components -- a prototype of which is the Cantor set arising at the Feigenbaum limit of period-doubling. By the results in Chapter 1, the quotient by components generates a Cantor set \(K\) on which the induced map is transitive. The main Theorem states that this map is an adding machine. In Chapter 3 the following problem is investigated. Suppose a dynamical system possesses an invariant submanifold restricted to which it has an asymptotically stable attractor \(A\). When is \(A\) an attractor for the full system, and in what sense? This question is particularly meaningful when \(A\) is chaotic, and has arisen under different guises (e.g. synchronization problems or systems with symmetries) in applications-oriented literature over the last decade. The dynamics near \(A\) for the full system is characterized by the spectrum of normal Lyapunov exponents. This spectrum determines the points where \(A\): (1) ceases to be asymptotically stable, possibly developing a riddled basin; (2) ceases to be an attractor; (3) becomes a transversely repelling chaotic saddle. A sufficient condition for the creation of a riddled basin in transition (1) is provided. With these results an adequate bifurcation theory is developed. The author studies in some detail analytical and physical systems.