We numerically study in the one-dimensional case the validity of the
functional calculated by Graham and coworkers as a Lyapunov potential for the
Complex Ginzburg-Landau equation. In non-chaotic regions of parameter space the
functional decreases monotonically in time towards the plane wave attractors,
as expected for a Lyapunov functional, provided that no phase singularities are
encountered. In the phase turbulence region the potential relaxes towards a
value characteristic of the phase turbulent attractor, and the dynamics there
approximately preserves a constant value. There are however very small but
systematic deviations from the theoretical predictions, that increase when
going deeper in the phase turbulence region. In more disordered chaotic regimes
characterized by the presence of phase singularities the functional is
ill-defined and then not a correct Lyapunov potential.Comment: 20 pages,LaTeX, Postcript version with figures included available at
http://formentor.uib.es/~montagne/textos/nep
