Mark Levi, Penn State University


Arnold diffusion in a chain of coupled pendula


Abstract: In this joint work with Vadim Kaloshin and Maria Saprykina we show how Arnold diffusion can manifest itself in strange dynamics of a chain of weakly coupled pendula. The energy can diffuse from one pendulum to its neighbor, following any prescribed itinerary. These ``deterministically random" motions coexist with KAM tori, which occupy most of the system's phase space.

Address: Department of Mathematics, 218 McAllister Building, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802. Go to Professor Levi's website.