TRANSIENT STATISTICS IN STABILIZING PERIODIC-ORBITS

The statistics of chaotic and periodic transient time intervals preced ing the stabilization of a given periodic orbit have been experimental ly studied in a CO2 laser with modulated losses, subjected to a small subharmonic perturbation. As predicted by the theory, an exponential t ail has been found in the probability distribution of chaotic transien ts. Furthermore, a fine periodic structure in the distributions of the periodic transients, resulting from the interaction of the control si gnal and the local structure of the chaotic attractor, has been reveal ed.