Exact Solutions for the Singularly Perturbed Riccati Equation and Exact WKB Analysis

The singularly perturbed Riccati equation is the first-order nonlinear ODE $\hbar \partial_x f = af^2 + bf + c$ in the complex domain where $\hbar$ is a small complex parameter. We prove an existence and uniqueness theorem for exact solutions with prescribed asymptotics as $\hbar \to 0$ in a halfplane. These exact solutions are constructed using the Borel-Laplace method; i.e., they are Borel summations of the formal divergent $\hbar$-power series solutions. As an application, we prove existence and uniqueness of exact WKB solutions for the complex one-dimensional Schr\"odinger equation with a rational potential.Comment: Paper has been reorganised; notation, terminology, and theorem statements made clearer. Essential content unchange

A Scaling Theory of Bifurcations in the Symmetric Weak-Noise Escape Problem

We consider the overdamped limit of two-dimensional double well systems perturbed by weak noise. In the weak noise limit the most probable fluctuational path leading from either point attractor to the separatrix (the most probable escape path, or MPEP) must terminate on the saddle between the two wells. However, as the parameters of a symmetric double well system are varied, a unique MPEP may bifurcate into two equally likely MPEP's. At the bifurcation point in parameter space, the activation kinetics of the system become non-Arrhenius. In this paper we quantify the non-Arrhenius behavior of a system at the bifurcation point, by using the Maslov-WKB method to construct an approximation to the quasistationary probability distribution of the system that is valid in a boundary layer near the separatrix. The approximation is a formal asymptotic solution of the Smoluchowski equation. Our analysis relies on the development of a new scaling theory, which yields `critical exponents' describing weak-noise behavior near the saddle, at the bifurcation point.Comment: LaTeX, 60 pages, 24 Postscript figures. Uses epsf macros to include the figures. A file in `uufiles' format containing the figures is separately available at ftp://platinum.math.arizona.edu/pub/papers-rsm/paperF/figures.uu and a Postscript version of the whole paper (figures included) is available at ftp://platinum.math.arizona.edu/pub/papers-rsm/paperF/paperF.p

Locating complex singularities of Burgers' equation using exponential asymptotics and transseries

Burgers' equation is an important mathematical model used to study gas dynamics and traffic flow, among many other applications. Previous analysis of solutions to Burgers' equation shows an infinite stream of simple poles born at t = 0^+, emerging rapidly from the singularities of the initial condition, that drive the evolution of the solution for t > 0. We build on this work by applying exponential asymptotics and transseries methodology to an ordinary differential equation that governs the small-time behaviour in order to derive asymptotic descriptions of these poles and associated zeros. Our analysis reveals that subdominant exponentials appear in the solution across Stokes curves; these exponentials become the same size as the leading order terms in the asymptotic expansion along anti-Stokes curves, which is where the poles and zeros are located. In this region of the complex plane, we write a transseries approximation consisting of nested series expansions. By reversing the summation order in a process known as transasymptotic summation, we study the solution as the exponentials grow, and approximate the pole and zero location to any required asymptotic accuracy. We present the asymptotic methods in a systematic fashion that should be applicable to other nonlinear differential equations.Comment: 30 pages, 6 figure

Metastability in a stochastic neural network modeled as a velocity jump Markov process

One of the major challenges in neuroscience is to determine how noise that is present at the molecular and cellular levels affects dynamics and information processing at the macroscopic level of synaptically coupled neuronal populations. Often noise is incorprated into deterministic network models using extrinsic noise sources. An alternative approach is to assume that noise arises intrinsically as a collective population effect, which has led to a master equation formulation of stochastic neural networks. In this paper we extend the master equation formulation by introducing a stochastic model of neural population dynamics in the form of a velocity jump Markov process. The latter has the advantage of keeping track of synaptic processing as well as spiking activity, and reduces to the neural master equation in a particular limit. The population synaptic variables evolve according to piecewise deterministic dynamics, which depends on population spiking activity. The latter is characterised by a set of discrete stochastic variables evolving according to a jump Markov process, with transition rates that depend on the synaptic variables. We consider the particular problem of rare transitions between metastable states of a network operating in a bistable regime in the deterministic limit. Assuming that the synaptic dynamics is much slower than the transitions between discrete spiking states, we use a WKB approximation and singular perturbation theory to determine the mean first passage time to cross the separatrix between the two metastable states. Such an analysis can also be applied to other velocity jump Markov processes, including stochastic voltage-gated ion channels and stochastic gene networks

Trans-Series Asymptotics of Solutions to the Degenerate Painlev\'{e} III Equation: A Case Study

A one-parameter family of trans-series asymptotics of solutions to the Degenerate Painlev\'{e} III Equation (DP3E) are parametrised in terms of the monodromy data of an associated two-by-two linear auxiliary problem via the isomonodromy deformation approach: trans-series asymptotics for the associated Hamiltonian and principal auxiliary functions and the solution of one of the sigma-forms of the DP3E are also obtained. The actions of Lie-point symmetries for the DP3E are derived.Comment: 102 page

Refined BPS structures and topological recursion - the Weber and Whittaker curves

We study properties of the recently established refined topological recursion for some simple spectral curves associated to quadratic differentials. We prove explicit formulas for the free energy and Voros coefficients of the corresponding quantum curves, and conjecture expressions for all other (smooth) genus zero degree two curves. The results can be written in terms of Bridgeland's notion of refined BPS structure associated to the same initial data, together with a quantum correction to the central charge. The corresponding "invariants" appear to be new, but their interpretation in terms of Donaldson-Thomas theory or QFT is not entirely clear