[Nice colored image of the Lorenz attrcator]

Observation of the Lorenz Systems Using Scientific Visualization

Compiled by Georg Fischel
E-Mail:fischel@cg.tuwien.ac.at


No one has ever fully understood it
- its behavior fantastically complex -
but we can say something.

Stephen H. Strogatz

Abstract

The Lorenz systems are well known examples of dynamical systems and are mentioned in many specialized books as a typical example for chaotic behaviour in dynamics.
This work is an attempt to visualize behaviour induced by the Lorenz equations. Applying different visualization methods to these systems help to better understand long time behaviour depending on values of different parameters and initial conditions of the Lorenz systems.

The following pages introduce a physical model for the lorenz equations and will explore their parameter spaces by using graphical methods developed at our institute.