Lab / Experiment
Strange Attractors Gallery
A collection of famous strange attractors beyond Lorenz — each a deterministic dynamical system whose trajectory traces a fractal shape through phase space, never repeating, never escaping.
Rössler (1976) · Thomas (1999) · Aizawa (1982) · Dadras (2010) · Chen (1999) · Halvorsen (1994)
running
drag to rotate · scroll to zoom
Attractor
40
15000
0.85
0.3
What’s happening
A strange attractor is the set in phase space toward which a chaotic dynamical system converges. The trajectory is deterministic — given initial conditions, it follows a fixed path — yet it never repeats and is exquisitely sensitive to initial conditions. The attractor has fractal dimension: it is neither a surface nor a curve, but something in between.
Rössler’s attractor (1976) was designed as the simplest possible chaotic system — a single scroll with one nonlinear term. Chen’s attractor (1999) is a dual-scroll system related to Lorenz but with a different algebraic structure. Halvorsen’s attractor has three-fold rotational symmetry, producing a distinctive clover shape.
Thomas’s attractor (1999) is cyclically symmetric in all three variables and produces smooth, intertwined loops. Aizawa’s attractor (1982) generates a torus-like structure with chaotic surface flows. Dadras’s attractor (2010) is a newer discovery with rich multi-scroll behavior and five parameters to explore.
Each attractor is integrated using the 4th-order Runge-Kutta method, which provides good accuracy for the step sizes used. The 3D rendering uses perspective projection with depth-dependent point sizing and opacity, creating a sense of volume and depth.
Drag to rotate the view. Scroll to zoom. Try each attractor and adjust its parameters to explore how the fractal shape morphs between order and chaos.
Related: 3D Strange attractors (Lorenz + more) · Strange attractors (2D) · Bifurcation diagram · Double pendulum