Transient chaos and critical states in generalized baker maps

Generalized multibaker maps are introduced to model dissipative systems whi ch are spatially extended only in certain directions and escape of particle s is allowed in other ones. Effects of nonlinearity are investigated by var ying a control parameter. Emphasis is put on the appearance of the critical state representing the borderline of transient chaos, where anomalous beha vior sets in. The investigations extend to the conditionally invariant and the related natural measures and to transient diffusion in normal and criti cal states as well. Permanent chaos is also considered as a special case.