GLOSSARY OF CHAOS TERMS

Attractor- An attractor is a combination of two fixed points
(ends), the area in between the two fixed points which an   object
moves in cycles, and everything else that happens.

Bifurcation- The process of dividing into two parts.

Butterfly Effect- Concept that if a butterfly flaps its wings in
China, it will change the weather in New York.

Chaos Theory- States that small changes can result in large
differences, and that is an underlying order in all that    surrounds us.

Coast of Britain-  Mandelbrot's theory on why the Coast of  Britain
can not be measured.

Dynamical Systems-  a changing system

Feigenbaum-  Scientist at Los Alamos, creator of Feigenbaum
fractal.

Fractal- a geometric figure which is self-similar to itself at
different scales.          

Iteration-  Taking the answer of an equation and feeding it back
into the equation over and over again.

Julia, Gaston- Scientist who was one of the forefathers of modern
day chaos history.  He is best remembered for his Julia set which
he came up with in 1918.

Julia Set- Equation which Gaston Julia came up with in 1918.
 
Jupiter's Red Spot-  A cloud formation on Jupiter that doesn't move
due to constantly chaotic circling winds.

Koch's Curve-  Fractal image named after Herge Von Koch.

Lorenz, Edward- Known as the "discoverer" of chaos theory.  The
"Butterfly Effect" is attributed to him.

Mandelbrot, Benoit- Largely responsible for current interest in
Fractal Geometry.  Turned Julia's equations into beautiful  pictures called fractals.  

Mandelbrot Set- Equation which Mandelbrot came up with in 1977; his
work revived interest in Julia's work.
 
Nonlinearity- Type of mathematical system that generally cannot be
solved.

Sensitivity to Initial Conditions- states that a small occurrence
can cause large-scale changes.

Sierpenski's Triangle- A basic, easy to make fractal.

Strange Attractors- Mysterious things which cause oscillating
(moving) objects to veer off course.

Waterwheel- A fine example of Lorenz's basic principles dealing
with Chaos.