Lighting Arnold flames: resonance in doubly forced periodic oscillators

Publication Year
2002

Type

Journal Article
Abstract
We study doubly forced nonlinear planar oscillators: x = V(x) + alpha(1)W(1) (x, omega(1)t) + alpha(2)W(2)(x, omega(2)t), whose forcing frequencies have a fixed rational ratio: omega(1) = (m/n)omega(2). After some changes of parameter, we arrive at the form we study: x = V(x) + alpha{(2 - y)W-1(x, momega(0)/beta t) + (gamma - 1)W-2(x, nomega(0)/beta t)}. We assume x = V(x) has an attracting limit cycle-the unforced planar oscillator-with frequency omega(0), and the two forcing functions W-1 and W-2 are period one in their second variables. We consider two parameters as primary: beta, an appropriate multiple of the forcing period, and a, the forcing amplitude. The relative forcing amplitude gamma is an element of [1, 2] is treated as an auxiliary parameter. The dynamics is studied by considering the stroboscopic maps induced by sampling the solutions of the differential equations at time intervals equal to the period of forcing, T = beta/omega(0). For any fixed gamma, these oscillators have a standard form of a periodically forced oscillator, and thus exhibit the Arnold resonance tongues in the primary parameter plane. The special forms at gamma = 1 and gamma = 2 can introduce certain symmetries into the problem. One effect of these symmetries is to provide a relatively natural example of oscillators with multiple attractors. Such oscillators typically have interesting bifurcation features within corresponding resonance regions-features we call 'Arnold flames' because of their flame-like appearance in the corresponding bifurcation diagrams. By changing the auxiliary parameter gamma, we 'melt' one singly forced oscillator bifurcation diagram into another, and in the process we control certain of these 'intraresonance region' bifurcation features.
Journal
NonlinearityNonlinearity
Volume
15
Issue
2
Pages
405-428
Date Published
03/2002
ISBN
0951-7715
Short Title
Nonlinearity