WOLFRAM|DEMONSTRATIONS PROJECT

Effect of a Perturbation on the Stable Points of a Dynamical System

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perturbation (h)
A bifurcation diagram illustrates how the fixed points in a first-order dynamical system
x
evolve as a function parameter
r
changes. Take any vertical line upwards (along the
x
dimension) and note the fixed points at the color boundaries. From brown to purple is a stable point; from purple to brown is an unstable point. The default situation in this example shows a subcritical pitchfork bifurcation. A non-symmetrical perturbation
h
, added with the slider control, changes the system behavior and its bifurcation diagram.