Using Lyapunov exponents to predict the onset of chaos in nonlinear oscillators.

Abstract

An analytic technique for predicting the emergence of chaotic instability in nonlinear nonautonomous dissipative oscillators is proposed. The method is based on the Lyapunov-type stability analysis of an arbitrary phase trajectory and the standard procedure of calculating the Lyapunov characteristic exponents. The concept of temporally local Lyapunov exponents is then utilized for specifying the area in the phase space where any trajectory is asymptotically stable, and, therefore, the existence of chaotic attractors is impossible. The procedure of linear coordinate transform optimizing the linear part of the vector field is developed for the purpose of maximizing the stability area in the vicinity of a stable fixed point. By considering the inverse conditions of asymptotic stability, this approach allows formulating a necessary condition for chaotic motion in a broad class of nonlinear oscillatory systems, including many cases of practical interest. The examples of externally excited one- and two-well Duffing oscillators and a planar pendulum demonstrate efficiency of the proposed method, as well as a good agreement of the theoretical predictions with the results of numerical experiments. The comparison of the proposed method with Melnikov's criterion shows a potential advantage of using the former one at high values of dissipation parameter and/or multifrequency type of excitation in dynamical systems.