The Hénon map is a discrete-time dynamical system. It is one of the most studied examples of dynamical systems that exhibit chaotic behavior. The Hénon map takes a point (x, y) in the plane and maps it to a new point

f_a,b(x,y) = (y + 1 - ax²,bx).

The map depends on two constants a and b, which have the canonical values of a = 1.4 and b = 0.3.

The map was introduced by Michele Hénon as a simplified model of the Poincaré section of the Lorenz model. For the canonical map (a = 1.4 and b = 0.3) an initial point of the plane will either approach a set of points known as the Hénon strange attractor, or diverge to infinity. The Hénon attractor is a fractal, smooth in one direction and a Cantor set in another.

As a dynamical system, the canonical Hénon map is interesting because, unlike the logistic map, its orbits defy a simple description.

See also Takens' theorem.

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