jump phenomenon

jump phenomenon

[′jəmp fə‚näm·ə·nən] (control systems) A phenomenon occurring in a nonlinear system subjected to a sinusoidal input at constant frequency, in which the value of the amplitude of the forced oscillation can jump upward or downward as the input amplitude is varied through either of two fixed values, and the graph of the forced amplitude versus the input amplitude follows a hysteresis loop.