On universality of algebraic decays in Hamiltonian systems

Abstract

Hamiltonian systems with a mixed phase space typically exhibit an algebraic decay of correlations and of Poincare' recurrences, with numerical experiments over finite times showing system-dependent power-law exponents. We conjecture the existence of a universal asymptotic decay based on results for a Markov tree model with random scaling factors for the transition probabilities. Numerical simulations for different Hamiltonian systems support this conjecture and permit the determination of the universal exponent.