Bifurcation Patterns in Some Chameleon Systems

Chameleon chaotic systems have a special property to display various types of chaotic attractors by tuning system parameters, thereby allowing for the generation of diverse chaotic signals that are suitable for various applications. In this paper, we propose and study a class of three-dimensional quadratic chameleon systems capable of transitioning between self-excited and hidden chaotic regimes. Through systematic analysis of the systems, we can identify hidden chaotic attractors in parameter regions where no equilibria exist, or where there is a line equilibrium, or where a single stable equilibrium exists. In order to study the basic properties of the system, we carried out both local stability analysis and Hopf bifurcation analysis. Further bifurcation analysis and Lyapunov exponent calculation uncovered intricate transitions among periodic, chaotic, and hidden chaotic regimes as the system parameters varied. Through the research, we find that antimonotonicity holds significant implications for creating various types of chaotic dynamics in the chameleon systems. Furthermore, we find that by adjusting the values of parameters, the system can display a self-excited chaotic attractor, a hidden chaotic attractor with no equilibrium, a hidden chaotic attractor with a line equilibrium, or a hidden chaotic attractor with a single stable hyperbolic/nonhyperbolic equilibrium point. We are interested in a hidden chaotic system with a stable nonhyperbolic equilibrium point, for which the practical feasibility is verified through circuit simulations. The chameleon chaotic systems studied in this paper expand our understanding of the chaotic mechanisms with various equilibrium configurations.