The simplest chaos indicator derived from Lagrangian descriptors

Abstract: In this paper we introduce the simplest chaos indicator derivable from Lagrangian Descriptors (LDs), defined as the difference in LD values between two neighboring trajectories. This difference LD is remarkably easy to implement and interpret, offering a direct and intuitive measure of dynamical behavior. We provide a heuristic argument linking its growth to the regularity or chaoticity of the underlying initial condition, considering both arclength-based and $p$-norm formulations of LDs. To evaluate its effectiveness, we benchmark it against more elaborate LD-based chaos indicators using two prototypical systems: the H\'enon-Heiles system and the Chirikov Standard Map. Our results show that, despite its simplicity, the difference LD matches, and in some cases surpasses, the accuracy of more sophisticated methods, making it a robust and accessible tool for chaos detection in dynamical systems.