Phase Space Transport in a Symmetric Caldera Potential with Three Index-1 Saddles and No Minima

Abstract

We apply the method of Lagrangian Descriptors (LDs) to a symmetric Caldera-type potential energy surface which has three index-1 saddles surrounding a relatively flat region that contains no minimum. Using this method we show the phase space transport mechanism that is responsible for the existence and nonexistence of the phenomenon of dynamical matching for this form of Caldera potential energy surface.