Painting the Phase Space of Dissipative Systems with Lagrangian Descriptors

Abstract: In this paper we apply the method of Lagrangian descriptors to explore the geometrical structures in phase space that govern the dynamics of dissipative systems. We demonstrate through many classical examples taken from the nonlinear dynamics literature that this tool can provide valuable information and insights to develop a more general and detailed understanding of the global behavior and underlying geometry of these systems. In order to achieve this goal, we analyze systems that display dynamical features such as hyperbolic points with different expansion and contraction rates, limit cycles, slow manifolds and strange attractors. Furthermore, we study how this technique can be used to detect transition ellipsoids that arise in Hamiltonian systems subject to dissipative forces, and which play a crucial role in characterizing trajectories that evolve across an index-1 saddle point of the underlying potential energy surface.