Exploring Chaos in Fractional Order Systems: A Study of Constant and Variable-Order Dynamics

Fractional calculus generalizes well-known differentiation and integration to noninteger orders, allowing a more accurate framework for modeling complex dynamical behaviors. The application of fractional-order systems is quite wide in engineering, biology, and physics because they inherently capture the memory effects and long-range dependencies. Out of these, fractional jerk chaotic systems have gained attention regarding their applications in secure communication, signal processing, and control systems. This work develops a comparative analysis of a fractional jerk system that includes constant- and variable-order derivatives to contribute to chaos–stability analysis. Additionally, this study uncovers novel chaotic behaviors, further expanding our understanding of complex dynamical systems. The results yield new insights into using variable-order dynamics to enable chaotic systems to better adapt to real applications.