A dynamical system is a set of states equipped with a rule make any given state evolve in time. A subset of states toward which the system tends to evolve irrespective of the initial state is called an attractor. Attractors can be points, curves, submanifolds, and even much more complex subset with fractal features, in which case the attractor is said to be "strange".

This project features a few famous strange attractors arising from systems of ordinary differential equations.

The doubled images on a black background are stereographic. Look at the left image with your right eye and vice-versa to see the image in three-dimensions.

The Lorenz system of differential equations was first studied in the 60's as a simplified model of atmospheric convection. The Lorenz attractor is a set of chaotic solutions of this system.

The Langford system of differential equations arise in dissipative hydrodynamics, whose associated attractor is known as the Aizawa attractor.

The Halvorsen system is an example of circulant system of differential equations, where the members are related by cyclic permutation. This is reflected in the order 3 rotational symmetry of the Halvorsen attractor.