  In this paper we develop new techniques for revealing geometrical structures
in phase space that are valid for aperiodically time dependent dynamical
systems, which we refer to as Lagrangian descriptors. These quantities are
based on the integration, for a finite time, along trajectories of an intrinsic
bounded, positive geometrical and/or physical property of the trajectory
itself. We discuss a general methodology for constructing Lagrangian
descriptors, and we discuss a "heuristic argument" that explains why this
method is successful for revealing geometrical structures in the phase space of
a dynamical system. We support this argument by explicit calculations on a
benchmark problem having a hyperbolic fixed point with stable and unstable
manifolds that are known analytically. Several other benchmark examples are
considered that allow us the assess the performance of Lagrangian descriptors
in revealing invariant tori and regions of shear. Throughout the paper
"side-by-side" comparisons of the performance of Lagrangian descriptors with
both finite time Lyapunov exponents (FTLEs) and finite time averages of certain
components of the vector field ("time averages") are carried out and discussed.
In all cases Lagrangian descriptors are shown to be both more accurate and
computationally efficient than these methods. We also perform computations for
an explicitly three dimensional, aperiodically time-dependent vector field and
an aperiodically time dependent vector field defined as a data set. Comparisons
with FTLEs and time averages for these examples are also carried out, with
similar conclusions as for the benchmark examples.
