Editing Dynamical system (section)

==Linear dynamical systems==
{{Main|Linear dynamical system}}
Linear dynamical systems can be solved in terms of simple functions and the behavior of all orbits classified.  In a linear system the phase space is the ''N''-dimensional Euclidean space, so any point in phase space can be represented by a vector with ''N'' numbers.  The analysis of linear systems is possible because they satisfy a [[superposition principle]]: if ''u''(''t'') and ''w''(''t'') satisfy the differential equation for the vector field (but not necessarily the initial condition), then so will ''u''(''t'')&nbsp;+&nbsp;''w''(''t'').

===Flows===
For a [[flow (mathematics)|flow]], the vector field v(''x'') is an [[affine transformation|affine]] function of the position in the phase space, that is,
:<math> \dot{x} = v(x) = A x + b,</math>
with ''A'' a matrix, ''b'' a vector of numbers and ''x'' the position vector.  The solution to this system can be found by using the superposition principle (linearity).
The case ''b''&nbsp;≠&nbsp;0 with ''A''&nbsp;=&nbsp;0 is just a straight line in the direction of&nbsp;''b'':

: <math>\Phi^t(x_1) = x_1 + b t. </math>

When ''b'' is zero and ''A''&nbsp;≠&nbsp;0 the origin is an equilibrium (or singular) point of the flow, that is, if ''x''<sub>0</sub>&nbsp;=&nbsp;0, then the orbit remains there.
For other initial conditions, the equation of motion is given by the [[matrix exponential|exponential of a matrix]]: for an initial point ''x''<sub>0</sub>,

:  <math>\Phi^t(x_0) = e^{t A} x_0. </math>

When ''b'' = 0, the [[eigenvalue]]s of ''A'' determine the structure of the phase space.  From the eigenvalues and the [[eigenvector]]s of ''A'' it is possible to determine if an initial point will converge or diverge to the equilibrium point at the origin.

The distance between two different initial conditions in the case ''A''&nbsp;≠&nbsp;0 will change exponentially in most cases, either converging exponentially fast towards a point, or diverging exponentially fast.  Linear systems display sensitive dependence on initial conditions in the case of divergence. For nonlinear systems this is one of the (necessary but not sufficient) conditions for [[chaos theory|chaotic behavior]].

[[File:LinearFields.png|thumb|500px|center|Linear vector fields and a few trajectories.]]
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===Maps===
A [[Discrete-time dynamical system|discrete-time]], [[Affine transformation|affine]] dynamical system has the form of a [[matrix difference equation]]:
: <math> x_{n+1} =  A x_n + b, </math>
with ''A'' a matrix and ''b'' a vector.  As in the continuous case, the change of coordinates ''x''&nbsp;→&nbsp;''x''&nbsp;+&nbsp;(1&nbsp;−&nbsp;''A'')<sup>&nbsp;–1</sup>''b'' removes the term ''b'' from the equation. In the new [[coordinate system]], the origin is a fixed point of the map and the solutions are of the linear system ''A''<sup>&nbsp;''n''</sup>''x''<sub>0</sub>.
The solutions for the map are no longer curves, but points that hop in the phase space.  The orbits are organized in curves, or fibers, which are collections of points that map into themselves under the action of the map.

As in the continuous case, the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of ''A'' determine the structure of phase space.  For example, if ''u''<sub>1</sub> is an eigenvector of ''A'', with a real eigenvalue smaller than one, then the straight lines given by the points along ''α''&nbsp;''u''<sub>1</sub>, with ''α''&nbsp;∈&nbsp;'''R''', is an invariant curve of the map. Points in this straight line run into the fixed point.

There are also many [[List of chaotic maps|other discrete dynamical systems]].