Long-time behaviour of numerically computed orbits: Small and intermediate timestep analysis of one-dimensional systems (Q751205)

In contrast to the companion paper of the authors [ibid. 93, 171-188 (1991; reviewed above)] an analytical approach to the understanding of the long-time behavior of numerically computed orbits in one-dimensional systems is given. A continuous-time pseudo-dynamics is derived which is equivalent to the time discrete dynamics and applies to any numerical algorithm which is phase space volume conservative. It is shown that the numerical orbits are close to the exact orbits under a conservation law of the continuous-time system and that the equivalence between continuous-time and time discrete dynamics depends on the time step \(\Delta\). In the case that \(\Delta\) is choosen small to avoid chaotic behavior the authors derive a new invariant the conservation of which forces the numerical orbits to lie on smooth closed curves. The influence of rapidly varying potential energy on the resonance behavior between time step and orbital period is discussed.