Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics www.nonlin-processes-geophys.net 1023-5809 1607-7946 1 1 1994 10.5194/npg-1-12-1994 http://www.nonlin-processes-geophys.net/1/12/1994/ http://www.nonlin-processes-geophys.net/1/12/1994/npg-1-12-1994.html http://www.nonlin-processes-geophys.net/1/12/1994/npg-1-12-1994.pdf 12 25 0000-00-00 Searching for determinism in observed data: a review of the issues involved A. A. Tsonis G. N. Triantafyllou J. B. Elsner Dept. of Geosciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA Dept. of Meteorology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA In this paper we present a review of advances made and problems still existing in the application of the theory of chaos and dynamical systems to time series. In particular we discuss issues pertaining the estimation of dimensions, Lyapunov exponents and nonlinear prediction from an observable. We analyze the problems and discuss proper ways to deal with them.