Attractor
From CasGroup
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| - | An '''attractor''' is a set to which a dynamical system evolves over time. This is can a point, a curve or manifold to which a system tends to move. If the manifold is chaotic, then it is a strange attractor. If it is a temporary attractor in the dynamical behaviour of a system, it can be called a transient attractor. Seen from another point of view, an attractor is a set of points which | + | An '''attractor''' is a set to which a dynamical system evolves over time. This is can a point, a curve or manifold to which a system tends to move. If the manifold is chaotic, then it is a strange attractor. If it is a temporary attractor in the dynamical behaviour of a system, it can be called a transient attractor. Seen from another point of view, an attractor is a set of points which 'attracts' orbits and trajectories. |
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| + | == Strange Attractor == | ||
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| + | Strange attractors in a dynamical system (described by one or more differential or difference equations) are bounded regions of phase space which have a fractal dimension. Trajectories within a strange attractor appear to skip around randomly. Examples of strange attractors include the Hénon attractor, Rössler attractor, and the Lorenz attractor. | ||
== Social Attractor == | == Social Attractor == | ||
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* Wikipedia entry for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attractor attractor] | * Wikipedia entry for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attractor attractor] | ||
| + | * MathWorld entry for [http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Attractor.html attractor] | ||