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POINT ATTRACTOR [1 record]

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Record 1 1995-10-16

English

Subject field(s)
  • Mathematics
  • Computer Graphics
DEF

An attractor that consists of a single point in phase space and describes a stationary state of a system.

CONT

Let us first examine the simplest attractor: a point. The "orbit" following the motion of a small ball put inside a funnel begins with wiggles that depend on its initial position and velocity, but converges eventually to the funnel's tip; if the ball is bigger than the funnel aperture it comes to rest at the tip. The tip is a stable equilibrium point, or stable fixed point, for the ball .... The funnel's tip is called an attractor point.

CONT

The point attractor is a solution which is independent of time that is, a steady state attractor. The system does not evolve.

OBS

See dynamical dissipative system, basin of attraction, limit cycle, torus. Compare to repelling point, saddle-point.

Key term(s)
  • attractor point

French

Domaine(s)
  • Mathématiques
  • Infographie
DEF

Le plus simple type d'attracteur. Point singulier correspondant à une solution stationnaire de l'équation du mouvement et caractérisant un système qui évolue toujours vers un état unique.

CONT

Quand le module initial de z est assez petit, le point représentatif tend vers un point particulier; quand le module initial est assez grand, il croît indéfiniment, et l'infini joue alors le rôle d'attracteur. Le premier point attracteur et l'infini constituent donc deux orbites attractives pour les points du plan complexe (...)

OBS

Le point d'équilibre unique d'une pendule amortie en est l'exemple classique de ce type d'attracteur. S'oppose à répulseur, point répulsif.

Spanish

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