Using Lagrangian descriptors to reveal the phase space structure of dynamical systems described by fractional differential equations: Application to the Duffing oscillator

We showcase the utility of the Lagrangian descriptors method in qualitatively understanding the underlying dynamical behavior of dynamical systems governed by fractional-order differential equations. In particular, we use the Lagrangian descriptors method to study the phase space structure of the unforced and undamped Duffing oscillator when fractional-order differential equations govern its time evolution. Our study considers the Riemann–Liouville and the Caputo fractional derivatives. We use the Grünwald–Letnikov derivative, which is an operator represented by an infinite series, truncated suitably to a finite sum as a finite difference approximation of the Riemann–Liouville operator, along with a correction term that approximates the Caputo fractional derivative. While there is no issue with forward-time integrations needed for the evaluation of Lagrangian descriptors, we discuss in detail ways to perform the non-trivial task of backward-time integrations and implement two methods for this purpose: a ‘nonlocal implicit inverse’ technique and a ‘time-reverse inverse’ approach. We analyze the differences in the Lagrangian descriptors results due to the two backward-time integration approaches, discuss the physical significance of these differences, and eventually argue that the ‘nonlocal implicit inverse’ implementation of the Grünwald–Letnikov fractional derivative manages to reveal the phase space structure of fractional-order dynamical systems correctly.