PERIOD DOUBLING AND CHAOS IN A 3-VARIABLE AUTOCATALATOR

A three-variable extension of the classical two-variable autocatalator is presented as a prototype for complex dynamical behavior in isothermal chemical reactions. The model is closely related to recent extensions of the autocatalator involving temperature feedback. Period doubling and chaos with periodic windows are found on varying a bifurcation parameter. The bifurcation sequence is a remerging Feigenbaum tree, with period doubling leading to chaos followed by a reverse sequence leading back to period 1. © 1990 American Chemical Society.