Symbolic recurrence plots to analyze dynamical systems.

This paper, based on the concept of symbolic correlation integral, introduces a set of symbolic recurrence plots and associated invariant measures, which are independent of the distance parameter, serving as a tool for quantifying the dynamic structure. These new measures allow the study of transient behavior, coexistence of attractors, bifurcations, and structural change. The final user does not have to choose the free distance parameter. An empirical application to electrocardiography data illustrates the use of symbolic recurrence measures. Published by AIP Publishing.