Stochastic perturbation of integrable systems: a window to weakly chaotic systems

Abstract: Integrable non-linear Hamiltonian systems perturbed by additive noise develop a Lyapunov instability, and are hence chaotic, for any amplitude of the perturbation. This phenomenon is related, but distinct, from Taylor's diffusion in hydrodynamics. We develop expressions for the Lyapunov exponents for the cases of white and colored noise. The situation described here being `multi-resonance' -- by nature well beyond the Kolmogorov-Arnold-Moser regime, it offers an analytic glimpse on the regime in which many near-integrable systems, such as some planetary systems, find themselves in practice. We show with the aid of a simple example, how one may model in some cases weakly chaotic deterministic systems by a stochastically perturbed one, with good qualitative results.