What is ManLab?
It’s a Matlab package for interactive continuation and bifurcation analysis of non linear systems of equations of the form R(U)=0, where R is a vector of n smooth equations and U a vector of n+1 unknowns.
The continuation principle in ManLab
The continuation is based on the MAN algorithm [1][2] which consists in expanding the unknown U as a formal power series of a path parameter. By using a high order approximation, an accurate and continuous description of the solution branches is obtained.
What is the advantage ?
Because the series contains a great deal of information, the control of the continuation and the detection of bifurcation is much easier than with classical predictor-corrector algorithms.
What is difficult in ManLab ?
For an easy computation of the series in Manlab, the system of equation R(U)=0 must be first written under a polynomial form with a quadratic nonlinearity. This is usually the most difficult task for a beginner.
Languages
Manlab is written in the Matlab language, using an object-oriented approach. A graphical interface permits to control the continuation and to analyse the results interactively.
Availability
The package is freely available for scientific use. ManLab is a typical research program wich is provided "as is", with no guarantee whatsoever.