title: Bi-instability as a precursor to global mixed-mode chaos.
abstract: Bi-instability, in contrast to bistability, is shown to generate unstable chaotic saddles prior to the onset of chaos. The theory and numerics are applied to a CO2 laser model with modulated losses where unstable pairs of saddles coexist, form heteroclinic connections, and allow mixing between local chaotic attractors to produce global mixed-mode chaos.
authors.affiliation: Special Project in Nonlinear Science, Naval Research Laboratory, Code 6700.3, PPD, Washington, D.C. 20375, USA.
authors.forename: I B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Carr