toolbox_chaos
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Toolbox Chaos procedure

2D Phase Portraits

Inspect selected pairs of state variables, compare projections from the same run, and avoid confusing a flattened view with the full state space.

Level Beginner
GUI tab Retratos 2D
Research question How do pairs of state variables evolve together, and which features survive across different projections?

Question and result

Calculation performed

Use pairwise projections to reveal relationships, folds, loops, and return geometry while preserving the identity of the source trajectory.

Required configuration

  • Have either a compatible last trajectory or a complete local simulation setup.
  • Know which state labels correspond to each plotted axis.

Panel and figure

Displayed quantities

Current Retratos 2D tab with three selected Lorenz projections
The current tab lets the user select pairwise planes, reuse a compatible trajectory, and save the complete grid.
Lorenz trajectory with visible x, y, and z axes
Project this same trajectory onto xy, xz, and yz in the GUI and read the resulting panels as a coordinated set.
Three phase-space geometries shown with coordinated axes
The comparison shows why projection choice matters across models; repeat the same coordinated-plane reading for Chua in the GUI.

Configuration and calculation

Control sequence

  1. Select the system and source

    Choose the same system as the shared trajectory and press Usar última trayectoria, or enter a fresh numerical contract and run locally.

    When the interface reports a system mismatch, simulate the selected system locally or return to the correct model.

  2. Choose variable pairs

    Enable the available pairwise planes. For three displayed states these are normally x–y, x–z, and y–z; higher displayed dimensions can provide more combinations.

    Keep at least two projections when diagnosing whether an apparent crossing or loop is a flattening artifact.

  3. Set a consistent visual style

    Choose a color with enough contrast and retain equal aspect where provided to support geometrically consistent comparison.

    Use the same style for a controlled series unless color itself encodes a declared experimental condition.

  4. Read projection-specific structure

    Look for repeated loops, folded bands, symmetry, narrow channels, clusters, and regions visited only during the transient.

    Compare every observation with another projection or with the time series before assigning a dynamical meaning.

  5. Repeat under a controlled change

    Vary one parameter, initial-state component, step, or duration. Keep the remaining contract fixed and name the changed quantity in the export.

    For parameter intervals, use the bifurcation workflow and retain the sampled parameter values.

  6. Export the grid

    Use Guardar gráfica... to save the complete selected projection grid. Confirm that axis labels remain readable at the intended publication size.

    If individual panels are needed, keep the complete grid as the provenance record and state how any crop was produced.

Record

Computed data

  • A grid of selected pairwise portraits generated from one known trajectory.
  • A list of features that are consistent across projections and features that appear only after flattening.

Scientific reading

Interpretation criteria

A projected crossing can represent states separated in an omitted coordinate. A closed-looking loop may also conceal slow drift outside the plane.

Pairwise portraits are strong descriptive tools. Full invariant-dynamics classification requires diagnostics that cover the modeled state dependence.

Files

Experiment record

  • Name every variable pair and state whether the trajectory was reused.
  • Record the full simulation contract even though the panel shows only geometry.
  • Keep aspect-ratio and crop choices consistent across comparisons.

Applications

Questions addressed by the calculation

  • Visual comparison of coupled variables.
  • Preparation of figures for lectures, posters, and exploratory reports.
  • Selecting a useful observable pair before a basin, section, or return-map study.

Scope

Evidence conditions

  • Projection overlap can correspond to states separated along an omitted coordinate.
  • Sensitivity, spectral content, and local stability are evaluated with their corresponding diagnostics.
  • The panel visualizes selected trajectories; hidden-attractor localization belongs to Hidden Attractors FO.