Double Precision Computation of the Logistic Map Depends on Computational Modes of the Floating-point Processing Unit

Abstract

Today's most popular CPU can operate in two different computational modes for double precision computations. This fact is not very widely recognized among scientific computer users. The present paper reports the differences the modes bring about using the most thoroughly studied system in chaos theory, the logistic map. Distinct virtual periods due to finite precision come about depending on the computational modes for the parameter value corresponding to fully developed chaos. For other chaotic regime various virtual periods emerge depending on the computational modes and the mathematical expressions of the map. Differences in the bifurcation diagrams due to the modes and the expressions are surveyed exhaustively. A quantity to measure those differences is defined and calculated.