Positive Lyapunov exponents for Hamiltonian linear differential systems

Abstract

In the present paper we give a positive answer to some questions posed by Viana on the existence of positive Lyapunov exponents for Hamiltonian linear differential systems. We prove that there exists an open and dense set of Hamiltonian linear differential systems, over a suspension flow with bounded roof function, displaying at least one positive Lyapunov exponent. In consequence, typical cocycles over a uniformly hyperbolic flow are chaotic. Finally, we obtain similar results for cocycles over flows preserving an ergodic, hyperbolic measure with local product structure.