Hidden and Nonstandard Bifurcation Diagram of an Alternate Quadratic System

Abstract

Alternate quadratic systems [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are different parameters, seem to be interval maps in a range of the parameter values. However, after a careful graphical analysis of their bifurcation diagrams we conclude that this is true only for system B, but not for system A. In system A we find a hidden and nonstandard bifurcation diagram (“hidden” because it is not visible at normal resolution and “nonstandard” because the bifurcation diagram is empty for some ranges of the parameter values). The different behavior of the underlying critical polynomial in the range of parameter values in both alternate quadratic systems explains why the hidden and nonstandard bifurcation diagram is present in system A and not in system B. The analysis of the Lyapunov exponent also shows both the existence and the different behavior of the hidden bifurcation diagram of system A.