Strange Nonchaotic Stars

Authors

John F. Lindner, The College of WoosterFollow
Vivek Kohar, University of Hawaii, Manoa
Behnam Kia, University of Hawaii, Manoa
Michael Hippke, Institute for Data Analysis
John G. Learned, University of Hawaii, Manoa
William L. Ditto, University of Hawaii, Manoa

Publication Date

2-2015

Document Type

Article

Volume

114

Issue

5-6

Abstract

The unprecedented light curves of the Kepler space telescope document how the brightness of some stars pulsates at primary and secondary frequencies whose ratios are near the golden mean, the most irrational number. A nonlinear dynamical system driven by an irrational ratio of frequencies generically exhibits a strange but nonchaotic attractor. For Kepler’s “golden” stars, we present evidence of the first observation of strange nonchaotic dynamics in nature outside the laboratory. This discovery could aid the classification and detailed modeling of variable stars.

Recommended Citation

Lindner, John F.; Kohar, Vivek; Kia, Behnam; Hippke, Michael; Learned, John G.; and Ditto, William L., "Strange Nonchaotic Stars" (2015). Physical Review Letters, 114(5-6), 054101-. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.054101. Retrieved from https://openworks.wooster.edu/facpub/223