The hot deformation behavior of Al 2024 was studied by isothermal hot compression tests in the temperature range of 250-500 A degrees C and strain rate range of 10(-3) to 10(2) s(-1) in a computer-controlled 50 kN servo-hydraulic universal testing machine (UTM). The results show that the flow stress of Al 2024 alloy increases with strain rate and decreases after a peak value, indicating dynamic recovery and recrystallization. The processing map exhibits two domains of optimum efficiency for hot deformation at different strains, including the low strain rate domain at 500 A degrees C and between 10(-2) and 10(-1) s(-1) and the high strain rate domain in 250 and 300 A degrees C in the strain rate range of 10(1) to 10(2) s(-1). An attempt has been made in this article to generate a new hybrid 4D process map which illustrates contours of power dissipation and instability in the 3D space of strain rate, temperature, and strain.