Finite-time rotation number: A fast indicator for chaotic dynamical structures

AbstractLagrangian coherent structures are effective barriers, sticky regions, that separate chaotic phase space regions of different dynamical behavior. The usual way to detect such structures is by calculating finite-time Lyapunov exponents. We show that similar results can be obtained for time-periodic systems by calculating finite-time rotation numbers, which are faster to compute. We illustrate our claim by considering examples of continuous- and discrete-time dynamical systems of physical interest