Essential dynamics in chaotic attractors

Abstract

We prove that if a smooth vector field $F$ of $S^3$ generates a sufficiently complicated heteroclinic knot, the flow also generates infinitely many periodic orbits, which persist under smooth perturbations which preserve the heteroclinic knot. Consequentially, we then associate a Template with the flow dynamics - regardless of whether $F$ satisfies any hyperbolicity condition or not. In addition, inspired by the Thurston-Nielsen Classification Theorem, we also conclude topological criteria for the existence of chaotic dynamics for three-dimensional flows - which we apply to study both the R\"ossler and Lorenz attractors.