Strange nonchaotic attractor in an unforced turbulent reactive flow system.

Abstract

We discover strange nonchaotic attractor (SNA) through experiments in an unforced system comprising turbulent reactive flow. While models suggest SNAs are common in dynamical systems, experimental observations are primarily limited to systems with external forcing. We observe SNA prior to the emergence of periodic oscillations from chaotic fluctuations. In complex systems, self-organization can lead to order, and inherent nonlinearity can induce chaos. The occurrence of SNA, which is nonchaotic yet nonperiodic in one such complex system, is intriguing.