Chaotic dynamics of a bouncing ball

Abstract

A detailed study of a mapping on a two-dimensional manifold is made. The mapping describes a system subject to periodic forcing, in particular an imperfectly elastic ball bouncing on a vibrating platform. Quasiperiodic motion on a one-dimensional manifold is proven, and observed numerically, at low forcing, while at higher forcing Smale horseshoes are present. We examine the evolution of the attracting set with changing parameter. Spatial structure is oganised by fixed points of the mapping and sudden changes occur by crises. A new type of chaos, in which a trajectory alternates between two distinct chaotic regions, is described and explained in terms of manifold collisions. Throughout we are concerned to examine the behaviour of Lyapunov exponents. Typical behaviour of Lyapunov exponents in the quasiperiodic regime under the influence of external noise is discussed. At higher forcing a certain symmetry of the attractor allows an analytic expression for the exponents to be given. © 1986.