Hamiltonian structure of Hamiltonian chaos

From a kinematical point of view, the geometrical information of Hamiltonian chaos is given by the (un) stable directions, while the dynamical information is given by the Lyapunov exponents. The finite time Lyapunov exponents are of particular importance in physics. The spatial variations of the finite time Lyapunov exponent and its associated (un)stable direction are related. Both of them are found to be determined by a new Hamiltonian of the same number of degrees of freedom as the original one. This new Hamiltonian defines a flow field with characteristically chaotic trajectories. The direction and the magnitude of the phase flow field give the (un)stable direction and the finite time Lyapunov exponent of the original Hamiltonian. Our analysis was based on a 1 1/2 degree of freedom Hamiltonian system. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.