- #1
mliuzzolino
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Homework Statement
Show that there is a certain ellipsoidal region E of the form rx2 + σy2 + σ(z-2r)2 ≤ C such that all trajectories of the Lorenz equations eventually enter E and stay in there forever.
Homework Equations
Lorenz Equations:
[itex]\dot{x} = \sigma (y - x)[/itex]
[itex]\dot{y} = rx - xz - y[/itex]
[itex]\dot{z} = xy - bz[/itex]
V is the volume.
The Attempt at a Solution
[itex] V = rx^2 + \sigma y^2 + \sigma(z-2r)^2 [/itex]
[itex]\dot{V} = 2rx\dot{x} + 2\sigma y \dot{y} + 2 \sigma(z - 2r) \dot{z}[/itex]
[itex]\dfrac{1}{2} \dot{V} = rx(\sigma y - \sigma x) + \sigma y (rx - xz - y) + (\sigma z - 2 \sigma r)(xy - bz)[/itex]
[itex]\Rightarrow \dfrac{1}{2 \sigma} \dot{V} = -rx^2 - y^2 -bz^2 + 2bz[/itex]
[itex]\Rightarrow \dot{V} < 0[/itex]
Therefore, all trajectories of the Lorenz equations eventually enter E and stay in there forever.
I am not sure I approached this problem correctly, and the additional challenge problem states to try and obtain the smallest possible value of C with this attracting property. Did I miss something in my workthrough above involving C? If I subtract it from both sides of the original inequality and involve it in the workthrough involving the change in volume, isn't the value of C irrelevant given that its derivative is zero (being that it's a constant) ?