Eur. Phys. J. B (2012) 85: 137
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2012-20799-5

Regular Article

A new deterministic model for chaotic reversals

Department of Astrophysical Sciences/Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, 5 Peyton Hall, Princeton University, 08544 Princeton NJ, USA

^a e-mail: cgissing@princeton.edu

Received: 29 September 2011
Received in final form: 10 January 2012
Published online: 26 April 2012

Abstract

We present a new chaotic system of three coupled ordinary differential equations, limited to quadratic nonlinear terms. A wide variety of dynamical regimes are reported. For some parameters, chaotic reversals of the amplitudes are produced by crisis-induced intermittency, following a mechanism different from what is generally observed in similar deterministic models. Despite its simplicity, this system therefore generates a rich dynamics, able to model more complex physical systems. In particular, a comparison with reversals of the magnetic field of the Earth shows a surprisingly good agreement, and highlights the relevance of deterministic chaos to describe geomagnetic field dynamics.