Complex trajectories of a simple pendulum

Sep, 2006
11 pages
Published in:
  • J.Phys.A 40 (2007) F81-F90
e-Print:
Report number:
  • LA-UR-06-6814

Citations per year

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Abstract:
The motion of a classical pendulum in a gravitational field of strength g is explored. The complex trajectories as well as the real ones are determined. If g is taken to be imaginary, the Hamiltonian that describes the pendulum becomes PT-symmetric. The classical motion for this PT-symmetric Hamiltonian is examined in detail. The complex motion of this pendulum in the presence of an external periodic forcing term is also studied.
Note:
  • 11 pages, 12 figures Report-no: LA-UR-06-6814 Subj-class: Mathematical Physics: Chaotic Dynamics Journal-ref: J.Phys. A40 (2007) F81-F90 DOI: 10.1088/1751-8113/40/3/F01
  • 11.30.Er
  • 45.20.Jj
  • 05.45.-a