attractor

at·trac·tor  (-trktr)

n.

1. also attracter One that attracts: flowers that are excellent attractors of hummingbirds.

2. Physics A set of physical properties toward which a system tends to evolve, regardless of the starting conditions of the system.

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attractor  (-trktr)

A set of states of a dynamic physical system toward which that system tends to evolve, regardless of the starting conditions of the system. A point attractor is an attractor consisting of a single state. For example, a marble rolling in a smooth, rounded bowl will always come to rest at the lowest point, in the bottom center of the bowl; the final state of position and motionlessness is a point attractor. A periodic attractor is an attractor consisting of a finite or infinite set of states, where the evolution of the system results in moving cyclically through each state. The ideal orbit of a planet around a star is a periodic attractor, as are periodic oscillations. A periodic attractor is also called a limit-cycle. A strange attractor is an attractor for which the evolution through the set of possible physical states is nonperiodic (chaotic), resulting in an evolution through a set of states defining a fractal set. Most real physical systems (including the actual orbits of planets) involve strange attractors.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	attractor - an entertainer who attracts large audiences; "he was the biggest drawing card they had" attracter, drawing card, draw, attraction entertainer - a person who tries to please or amuse
	2.	attractor - (physics) a point in the ideal multidimensional phase space that is used to describe a system toward which the system tends to evolve regardless of the starting conditions of the system attracter point - a geometric element that has position but no extension; "a point is defined by its coordinates" chaotic attractor, strange attractor - an attractor for which the approach to its final point in phase space is chaotic natural philosophy, physics - the science of matter and energy and their interactions; "his favorite subject was physics"
	3.	attractor - a characteristic that provides pleasure and attracts; "flowers are an attractor for bees" attractive feature, magnet, attracter, attraction characteristic, feature - a prominent attribute or aspect of something; "the map showed roads and other features"; "generosity is one of his best characteristics" attention - a general interest that leads people to want to know more; "She was the center of attention" tourist attraction - a characteristic that attracts tourists