On the influence of a constant force on the appearance of period-doubling bifurcations and chaos in a harmonically excited pure cubic oscillator

A pure cubic oscillator with a constant and a harmonic force acting on it, which represents a nonlinear asymmetric system, is considered. Building on previous studies on the matter, analytical and numerical approaches are used to examine and illustrate its dynamics related to the phenomenon of period-doubling bifurcations and their development into chaos for different values of the constant force. The region of control parameters in which this scenario is possible is determined and discussed with a view to revisiting literature results and to giving novel and deeper insights into the phenomenon related to the influence of the magnitude of the constant force and certain resonances. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.