Small noise expansion of moment Lyapunov exponents for two-dimensional systems

We construct an approximation for the moment Lyapunov exponent, the asymptotic growth rate of the moments of the response of a two-dimensional linear system driven by real or white noise. A perturbation approach is used to obtain explicit expressions for these exponents in the presence of small intensity noise. As an example, we study the moment stability of the stationary solution of nonlinear structural and mechanical systems subjected to real noise excitation. The usefulness of the moment Lyapunov exponent in predicting parameter values at which qualitative changes in the probability density function occur (stochastic bifurcation) is also illustrated.