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In mathematics, particularly in dynamical systems, a bifurcation diagram shows the possible long-term values (equilibria/fixed points or periodic orbits) of a system as a function of a bifurcation parameter in the system. It is usual to represent stable solutions with a solid line and unstable solutions with a dotted line.

Bifurcations in the Logistic Map

An example is the bifurcation diagram of the logistic map:

The bifurcation parameter r is shown on the horizontal axis of the plot and the vertical axis shows the possible long-term population values of the logistic function. Only the stable solutions are shown here, there are many other unstable solutions which are not shown in this diagram.

The bifurcation diagram nicely shows the forking of the possible periods of stable orbits from 1 to 2 to 4 to 8 etc. Each of these bifurcation points is a period-doubling bifurcation. The ratio of the lengths of successive intervals between values of r for which bifurcation occurs converges to the first Feigenbaum constant.

Bifurcation Diagram with Mathematica

Logistic Map

map[r_] := r#(1 - #) &;

Orbit

orbit[r_, x0_, n_] := NestList[r#(1 - #) &, x0, n];

Plot of the orbit

plotorbit[r_, start_, n_, Opts___] :=
ListPlot[NestList[r#(1 - #) &, start, n],
Opts,
PlotStyle -> {AbsolutePointSize[4], RGBColor[1, 0, 0]},
GridLines -> Automatic,
Epilog ->
ListPlot[NestList[r#(1 - #) &, start, n],
PlotJoined -> True,
DisplayFunction -> Identity
][[1]]

]

Plot of orbit for r = 2.8, 100 steps

plotorbit[2.8, 0.1, 100, AxesLabel -> {n, x\_i}];