title: Chaotic scattering on a double well: Periodic orbits, symbolic dynamics, and scaling.
abstract: We investigate classical scattering of particles by a double-well potential. Irregularity in the scattering functions, such as scattering angle and escape time, appears when the collision energy is lowered below a threshold value. This threshold is closely related to the appearance of periodic orbits with energies above the potential maxima. We study the scattering as a function of the energy and impact parameter. In this initial parameter space the scattering functions consist of regular regions interlaced with chaotic rivers. A symbolic dynamics has been developed to organize these structures and used to reveal their scaling properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-9984.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vallieres
authors.forename: Jian-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yuan