Nonequilibrium noise-induced phase transitions in simple systems

The theory and the results of an investigation of nonequilibrium noise-induced phase transitions in the simple example of a physical pendulum with a randomly oscillating pivot are presented. It is shown that such transitions lead to the appearance of a more ordered state of the system. The possibility of a difference between noise-induced oscillations and chaotic oscillations of dynamic origin is discussed. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.