1. Threshold, excitability and isochrones in the Bonhoeffer–van der Pol system
- Author
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Avinoam Rabinovitch and Igor Rogachevskii
- Subjects
Time inversion ,Van der Pol oscillator ,Applied Mathematics ,Mathematical analysis ,Structure (category theory) ,General Physics and Astronomy ,Statistical and Nonlinear Physics ,Limit cycle ,Attractor ,Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics ,Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics ,Limit (mathematics) ,Focus (optics) ,Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics ,Mathematical Physics ,Reciprocal ,Mathematics - Abstract
Some new insight is obtained for the structure of the Bonhoeffer-van der Pol system. The problems of excitability and threshold are discussed for all three types of the system classified according to the existing attractors: a focus only, a limit cycle only and a limit cycle together with a focus. These problems can be treated by the T-repellers and the T-attractors of the system which are mutually reciprocal under time inversion. The threshold depends on the structure of the T-repeller (unstable part of integral manifold). This structure is then used to understand the behavior and the properties of the two different types of isochrones: Winfree isochrones (W-isochrones) and regular isochrones. Winfree's description of a W-isochrone is extended to excitable systems. Both W-isochrones and regular isochrones are calculated for the Bonhoeffer-van der Pol system in its limit cycle and excitable regimes. The important role of the T-repeller as an asymptotic limit for both types of isochrones is manifested. (c) 1999 American Institute of Physics.
- Published
- 1999
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