Dynamical system

Mathematical concept describing systems that evolve over time

A dynamical system is a concept in mathematics used to describe a system that evolves over time according to a specific set of rules. These systems can be deterministic or stochastic, continuous or discrete, and they are used to model a wide variety of phenomena in science and engineering.

Definition

A dynamical system consists of a set of possible states and a rule that describes how the system evolves from one state to another over time. Formally, a dynamical system can be defined as a pair \((T, X, \Phi)\), where:

• \(T\) is the time set, which can be \(\mathbb{R}\) for continuous time or \(\mathbb{Z}\) for discrete time.
• \(X\) is the state space, which is a set of all possible states the system can be in.
• \(\Phi: T \times X \to X\) is the evolution rule, a function that describes how the state of the system changes over time.

Types of Dynamical Systems

Dynamical systems can be classified based on the nature of their time set and state space.

Continuous Dynamical Systems

In a continuous dynamical system, time is represented by the real numbers \(\mathbb{R}\). The evolution of the system is described by differential equations. An example is the Lorenz system, which is a set of ordinary differential equations.

Lorenz attractor

Discrete Dynamical Systems

In a discrete dynamical system, time is represented by the integers \(\mathbb{Z}\). The evolution of the system is described by difference equations or iterated functions. An example is the logistic map, which models population growth.

Linear and Nonlinear Systems

Dynamical systems can also be classified as linear or nonlinear. A linear dynamical system is one in which the evolution rule is a linear function of the state. Nonlinear systems, on the other hand, have evolution rules that are nonlinear functions of the state.

Error creating thumbnail:

Linear vector fields

Stability and Chaos

The study of dynamical systems often involves analyzing the stability of their solutions. A stable system returns to equilibrium after a small disturbance, while an unstable system may diverge from equilibrium.

Chaos

Chaos theory is a branch of mathematics that studies the behavior of dynamical systems that are highly sensitive to initial conditions, a phenomenon popularly referred to as the "butterfly effect." Even deterministic systems can exhibit chaotic behavior, where small changes in initial conditions lead to vastly different outcomes.

Applications

Dynamical systems are used in various fields such as physics, biology, economics, and engineering. They model phenomena such as the motion of planets, the spread of diseases, economic cycles, and the behavior of electrical circuits.

Related pages

• Chaos theory
• Differential equation
• Logistic map
• Lorenz system
• Phase space