Bringing order to chaos: Hybrid modelling of a discontinuous chaotic system

We propose a computational-oriented perspective within the study of discontinuous chaotic systems, and provide insights into the modelling, control and simulation of chaotic systems with switching dynamics. In particular, the Lorenz system in its piecewise-linear version is studied. This system is reinterpreted within the hybrid-automaton framework, and what is referred to as the Lorenz hybrid automaton is established. Furthermore, a discontinuous control which eliminates the chaotic behaviour and steers the trajectories to a desired equilibrium is proposed. An integral characteristic of the modelling framework is that the controlled system, exhibiting three discontinuity surfaces, is reduced to the composition of several Lorenz hybrid automata. The approach proposed here is especially useful in order to specify the transitions between the different system operation modes, which becomes a crucial problem due to the existence of multiple switching surfaces.