Periodicity and chaos in an autonomous electronic system

Abstract

In this paper, a simple electronic circuit is analyzed from a qualitative viewpoint. The circuit shows a great variety of dynamical behaviors (equilibrium points, periodic oscillations, chaotic motions... ) and the analysis proceeds to catalog all of them through a bifurcation study (pitchfork and Hopf bifurcations, flip bifurcations... ). This study points out the relevance of qualitative analysis in systems of simple structure but with very complex behavior. The paper includes theoretical study, numerical simulations, and actual circuit experimentation.