Orbit determination for standard-like maps: asymptotic expansion of the confidence region in regular zones

Abstract

We deal with the orbit determination problem for a class of maps of the cylinder generalizing the Chirikov standard map. The problem consists of determining the initial conditions and other parameters of an orbit from some observations. A solution to this problem goes back to Gauss and leads to the least squares method. Since the observations admit errors, the solution comes with a confidence region describing the uncertainty of the solution itself. We study the behavior of the confidence region in the case of a simultaneous increase in the number of observations and the time span over which they are performed. More precisely, we describe the geometry of the confidence region for solutions in regular zones. We prove an estimate of the trend of the uncertainties in a set of positive measure of the phase space, made of invariant curve. Our result gives an analytical proof of some known numerical evidences.