Hénon map

The Hénon map is a discrete-time dynamical system introduced by Michel Hénon in 1976 as a simplified model of the Lorenz attractor. Defined by two coupled quadratic equations, it produces a strange attractor with a fractal structure — the Hénon attractor — that exhibits the stretching and folding characteristic of chaotic flows. Despite its simplicity, the Hénon map captures essential features of chaotic dynamics: sensitive dependence on initial conditions, aperiodic orbits, and a complex invariant set. It serves as a paradigmatic test case for numerical methods in chaos theory and for the study of Smale horseshoes in dissipative systems.