Chaos Lab

Tool

Power spectrum

Compare the Fourier power spectrum of periodic, quasi-periodic, chaotic, and stochastic signals. Broadband structure is the spectral signature of deterministic chaos.

Power spectrum signature

periodic       → spikes at harmonic frequencies, dynamic range > 60 dB
quasi-periodic → spikes at incommensurate frequencies and their integer combinations
chaotic        → broadband (continuous) spectrum, may include broad peaks
noise          → flat spectrum (white) or 1/f^α (coloured)

Spectral broadness is a quick (but not foolproof) chaos indicator.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions