Dense heteroclinic tangencies near a Bykov cycle

This article presents a mechanism for the coexistence of hyperbolic and non-hyperbolic dynamics arising in a neighbourhood of a Bykov cycle where trajectories turn in opposite directions near the two nodes --- we say that the nodes have different chirality. We show that in the set of vector fields defined on a three-dimensional manifold, there is a class where tangencies of the invariant manifolds of two hyperbolic saddle-foci occur densely. The class is defined by the presence of the Bykov cycle, and by a condition on the parameters that determine the linear part of the vector field at the equilibria. This has important consequences: the global dynamics is persistently dominated by heteroclinic tangencies and by Newhouse phenomena, coexisting with hyperbolic dynamics arising from transversality. The coexistence gives rise to linked suspensions of Cantor sets, with hyperbolic and non-hyperbolic dynamics, in contrast with the case where the nodes have the same chirality. We illustrate our theory with an explicit example where tangencies arise in the unfolding of a symmetric vector field on the three-dimensional sphere

Forced symmetry breaking of Euclidean equivariant partial differential equations, pattern formation and Turing instabilities

Many natural phenomena may be modelled using systems of differential equations that possess symmetry. Often the modelling process introduces additional symmetries that are only approximately present in the real physical system. This thesis investigates how the inclusion of small symmetry breaking effects changes the behaviour of the original solutions, such a process is called forced symmetry breaking. Part I introduces the general equivariant bifurcation theory required for the rest of this work. In particular, we generalise previous techniques used to study forced symmetry breaking to a certain class of Euclidean invariant problems. This allows the study of the effects of forced symmetry breaking on spatially periodic solutions to differential equations. Part II considers spatially periodic solutions in two dimensions that are supported by the square or hexagonal lattices. The methods of Part I are applied to investigate how the translation free solutions, supported by these lattices, are altered when the perturbation term possesses certain symmetries. This leads to a partial classification theorem, describing the behaviour of these solutions. This classification is extended in Part III to three-dimensional solutions. In particular, the cubic lattices: simple, face centred, and body centred cubic, are considered. The analysis follows the same lines as Part II, but is necessarily more complex. This complexity is also present in the results, there are much richer dynamical possibilities. Parts II and III lead to a partial classification of the behaviour of spatially periodic solutions to differential equations in two and three dimensions. Finally in Part IV the results of Part III, concerning the body centred cubic lattice, are applied to the black-eye Turing instability. In particular, the model of Gomes [39] is cast in a new light where forced symmetry breaking is present, leading to several qualitative predictions. Nonlinear optical systems and the Polyacrylamide-Methylene Blue-Oxygen reaction are also discussed

Dynamics of coupled cell networks: synchrony, heteroclinic cycles and inflation

Copyright © 2011 Springer. The final publication is available at www.springerlink.comWe consider the dynamics of small networks of coupled cells. We usually assume asymmetric inputs and no global or local symmetries in the network and consider equivalence of networks in this setting; that is, when two networks with different architectures give rise to the same set of possible dynamics. Focussing on transitive (strongly connected) networks that have only one type of cell (identical cell networks) we address three questions relating the network structure to dynamics. The first question is how the structure of the network may force the existence of invariant subspaces (synchrony subspaces). The second question is how these invariant subspaces can support robust heteroclinic attractors. Finally, we investigate how the dynamics of coupled cell networks with different structures and numbers of cells can be related; in particular we consider the sets of possible “inflations” of a coupled cell network that are obtained by replacing one cell by many of the same type, in such a way that the original network dynamics is still present within a synchrony subspace. We illustrate the results with a number of examples of networks of up to six cells

Applications of dynamical systems with symmetry

This thesis examines the application of symmetric dynamical systems theory to two areas in applied mathematics: weakly coupled oscillators with symmetry, and bifurcations in flame front equations. After a general introduction in the first chapter, chapter 2 develops a theoretical framework for the study of identical oscillators with arbitrary symmetry group under an assumption of weak coupling. It focusses on networks with 'all to all' Sn coupling. The structure imposed by the symmetry on the phase space for weakly coupled oscillators with Sn, Zn or Dn symmetries is discussed, and the interaction of internal symmetries and network symmetries is shown to cause decoupling under certain conditions. Chapter 3 discusses what this implies for generic dynamical behaviour of coupled oscillator systems, and concentrates on application to small numbers of oscillators (three or four). We find strong restrictions on bifurcations, and structurally stable heteroclinic cycles. Following this, chapter 4 reports on experimental results from electronic oscillator systems and relates it to results in chapter 3. In a forced oscillator system, breakdown of regular motion is observed to occur through break up of tori followed by a symmetric bifurcation of chaotic attractors to fully symmetric chaos. Chapter 5 discusses reduction of a system of identical coupled oscillators to phase equations in a weakly coupled limit, considering them as weakly dissipative Hamiltonian oscillators with very weakly coupling. This provides a derivation of example phase equations discussed in chapter 2. Applications are shown for two van der Pol-Duffing oscillators in the case of a twin-well potential. Finally, we turn our attention to the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation. Chapter 6 starts by discussing flame front equations in general, and non-linear models in particular. The Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation on a rectangular domain with simple boundary conditions is found to be an example of a large class of systems whose linear behaviour gives rise to arbitrarily high order mode interactions. Chapter 7 presents computation of some of these mode interactions using competerised Liapunov-Schmidt reduction onto the kernel of the linearisation, and investigates the bifurcation diagrams in two parameters

Vector fields with heteroclinic networks

Dissertação de Doutoramento em Matemática apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do PortoO trabalho desenvolvido ao longo desta tese tem como ponto de partida uma família de equações diferenciais apresentada e estudada por Field (Ver M.J Field, 1996, Lectures on Bifurcations, Dynamics and Symmetry, Pitman Research Notes in Mathematics Series 356, Longman).Field conjectura, com base no seu estudo analítico e numérico, a existência, para certos valores dos parâmetros, de uma rede heteroclínica envolvendo os equilíbrios e as trajectórias periódicas na dinâmica do sistema. No caso de as variedades invariantes de dimensão 2 dos equilíbrios e das trajectórias periódicas se intersectarem transversalmente, Field conjectura também a existência de dinâmica da ferradura da rede heteroclínica.Nesta tese provamos as conjecturas de Field. O trabalho aqui desenvolvido indica a existência de uma rede heteroclínica de Shilnikov e prova a existência de dinâmica da ferradura na vizinhança de uma tal rede heteroclínica.Usamos a simetria do sistema para definir a rede heteroclínica quociente. Isto sugeriu-nos uma abordagem para estudar a dinâmica na vizinhança da rede heteroclínica de Shilnikov. O estudo da dinâmica é efectuado com recurso a uma codificação da dinâmica ao longo da rede heteroclínica e a uma codificação local na vizinhança dos ciclos heteroclínicos na rede quociente.Construímos exemplos simples contendo ciclos heteroclínicos de Shilnikov que são topologicamente equivalentes a ciclos heteroclínicos quocientes no exemplo de Field. Um facto importante acerca destes exemplos é que, apesar de possuírem dinâmica complexa, pela forma como são construídos, são mais fáceis de manipular analiticamente. Por exemplo, provamos analiticamente a intersecção transversal das variedades invariantes de dimensão 2.Os exemplos que construímos ajudam a compreender o comportamento complexo no exemplo de Field. Provamos a existência de dinâmica da ferradura na vizinhança de ciclos heteroclínicos envolvendo duas selas com autovalores complexos. Isto prova a existência ..

Mathematical frameworks for oscillatory network dynamics in neuroscience

The tools of weakly coupled phase oscillator theory have had a profound impact on the neuroscience community, providing insight into a variety of network behaviours ranging from central pattern generation to synchronisation, as well as predicting novel network states such as chimeras. However, there are many instances where this theory is expected to break down, say in the presence of strong coupling, or must be carefully interpreted, as in the presence of stochastic forcing. There are also surprises in the dynamical complexity of the attractors that can robustly appear—for example, heteroclinic network attractors. In this review we present a set of mathemat- ical tools that are suitable for addressing the dynamics of oscillatory neural networks, broadening from a standard phase oscillator perspective to provide a practical frame- work for further successful applications of mathematics to understanding network dynamics in neuroscience

Dynamics of nearly inviscid Faraday waves in almost circular containers

Parametrically driven surface gravity-capillary waves in an elliptically distorted circular cylinder are studied. In the nearly inviscid regime, the waves couple to a streaming flow driven in oscillatory viscous boundary layers. In a cylindrical container, the streaming flow couples to the spatial phase of the waves, but in a distorted cylinder, it couples to their amplitudes as well. This coupling may destabilize pure standing oscillations, and lead to complex time-dependent dynamics at onset. Among the new dynamical behavior that results are relaxation oscillations involving abrupt transitions between standing and quasiperiodic oscillations, and exhibiting ‘canards’

Irregular collective dynamics in a Kuramoto–Daido system

Acknowledgments: P C acknowledges financial support from the Spanish MINECO Project No. FIS2016-76830-C2-1-P.Peer reviewedPublisher PD