Work

The onset of chaos in orbital pilot-wave dynamics

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: We present the results of a numerical investigation of the emergence of chaos in the orbital dynamics of droplets walking on a vertically vibrating fluid bath and acted upon by one of the three different external forces, specifically, Coriolis, Coulomb, or linear spring forces. As the vibrational forcing of the bath is increased progressively, circular orbits destabilize into wobbling orbits and eventually chaotic trajectories. We demonstrate that the route to chaos depends on the form of the external force. When acted upon by Coriolis or Coulomb forces, the droplet's orbital motion becomes chaotic through a period-doubling cascade. In the presence of a central harmonic potential, the transition to chaos follows a path reminiscent of the Ruelle-Takens-Newhouse scenario.

Source: Chaos An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science

DOI: 10.1063/1.4964350

Authors: Lucas D. Tambasco, Daniel M. Harris, Anand U. Oza, Rodolfo R. Rosales, John W. M. Bush

Institutions: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University

Language: English

Topic: Chaos control and synchronization

Subfield: Statistical and Nonlinear Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Science Foundation, Division of Mathematical Sciences, Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation

Awards: G27693817, Collaborative Research: Gradient-augmented level set methods and jet schemes, Pilot-Wave Hydrodynamics, G7575245815