The Melnikov method for detecting chaotic dynamics in a planar hybrid piecewise-smooth system with a switching manifold

This paper discusses stability conditions and a chaotic behavior of the Lorenz dynamical system involving the Caputo fractional derivative of orders between 0 and 1. Contrary to some existing results on the topic, we study these problems with respect to a general (not specified) value of the Rayleigh number as a varying control parameter. Such a bifurcation analysis is known for the classical Lorenz system; we show that analysis of its fractional extension can yield different conclusions. In particular, we theoretically derive (and numerically illustrate) that nontrivial equilibria of the fractional Lorenz system become locally asymptotically stable for all values of the Rayleigh number large enough, which contradicts the behavior known from the classical case. As a main proof tool, we derive the optimal Routh–Hurwitz conditions of fractional type, i.e., necessary and sufficient conditions guaranteeing that all zeros of the corresponding characteristic polynomial are located inside the Matignon stability sector. Beside it, we perform other bifurcation investigations of the fractional Lorenz system, especially those documenting its transition from stability to chaotic behavior.