Noise-induced basin hopping in a gearbox model

We investigate some dynamical effects of adding a certain amount of noise in a theoretical model for rattling in single-stage gearbox systems with a backlash, consisting of two wheels with a sinusoidal driving. The parameter intervals we are dealing with show an extremely involved attraction basin structure in phase space. One of the observable effects of noise is basin hopping, or the switching between basins of different attractors. We characterize this effect and its relation to the presence of chaotic transients.