strange attractor

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

A geometric structure in phase space toward which a chaotic dynamical system tends to evolve over time; unlike simple attractors (fixed points, limit cycles), strange attractors have fractal geometry and exhibit chaotic behaviour — nearby trajectories diverge exponentially while remaining bounded

History and origin

Named by David Ruelle and Floris Takens in 1971; the Lorenz attractor (shaped like a butterfly or figure-8) is the most famous example

Examples

• When a chaotic system is plotted in phase space, its trajectory traces the intricate, never-repeating path of a strange attractor.
• The Rössler attractor and the Lorenz attractor are the two most frequently studied strange attractors in dynamical systems.

Synonyms: chaotic attractor, fractal attractor