Anna M. Barry

A showcase of torus canards in neuronal bursters

Rapid action potential generation - spiking - and alternating intervals of spiking and quiescence - bursting - are two dynamic patterns commonly observed in neuronal activity. In computational models of neuronal systems, the transition from spiking to bursting often exhibits complex bifurcation structure. One type of transition involves the torus canard, which we show arises in a broad array of well-known computational neuronal models with three different classes of bursting dynamics: sub-Hopf/fold cycle bursting, circle/fold cycle bursting, and fold/fold cycle bursting. The essential features that these models share are multiple time scales leading naturally to decomposition into slow and fast systems, a saddle-node of periodic orbits in the fast system, and a torus bifurcation in the full system. We show that the transition from spiking to bursting in each model system is given by an explosion of torus canards. Based on these examples, as well as on emerging theory, we propose that torus canards are a common dynamic phenomenon separating the regimes of spiking and bursting activity.

An elementary model of torus canards

We study the recently observed phenomena of torus canards. These are a higher-dimensional generalization of the classical canard orbits familiar from planar systems and arise in fast-slow systems of ordinary differential equations in which the fast subsystem contains a saddle-node bifurcation of limit cycles. Torus canards are trajectories that pass near the saddle-node and subsequently spend long times near a repelling branch of slowly varying limit cycles. In this article, we carry out a study of torus canards in an elementary third-order system that consists of a rotated planar system of van der Pol type in which the rotational symmetry is broken by including a phase-dependent term in the slow component of the vector field. In the regime of fast rotation, the torus canards behave much like their planar counterparts. In the regime of slow rotation, the phase dependence creates rich torus canard dynamics and dynamics of mixed mode type. The results of this elementary model provide insight into the torus canards observed in a higher-dimensional neuroscience model.

Generating Functions, Polynomials and Vortices with Alternating Signs in Bose-Einstein Condensates

In this work, we construct suitable generating functions for vortices of alternating signs in the realm of Bose-Einstein condensates. In addition to the vortex-vortex interaction included in earlier fluid dynamics constructions of such functions, the vortices here precess around the center of the trap. This results in the generating functions of the vortices of positive charge and of negative charge satisfying a modified, so-called, Tkachenko differential equation. From that equation, we reconstruct collinear few-vortex equilibria obtained in earlier work, as well as extend them to larger numbers of vortices. Moreover, particular moment conditions can be derived e.g. about the sum of the squared locations of the vortices for arbitrary vortex numbers. Furthermore, the relevant differential equation can be generalized appropriately in the two-dimensional complex plane and allows the construction e.g. of polygonal vortex ring and multi-ring configurations, as well as ones with rings surrounding a vortex at the center that are again connected to earlier bibliography.

Few-particle vortex cluster equilibria in Bose?Einstein condensates: existence and stability

Motivated by recent experimental and theoretical studies of fewparticle vortex clusters in Bose-Einstein condensates, we consider the ordinary differential equations of motion and systematically examine settings for up to N = 6 vortices. We analyze the existence of corresponding stationary state configurations and also consider their spectral stability properties. We compare our particle model results with the predictions of the full partial differential equation system. Whenever possible, we propose generalizations of these results in the context of clusters of N vortices. Some of these, we can theoretically establish, especially so for the N-vortex polygons, while others we state as conjectures, e.g. for the N-vortex line equilibrium.

Existence, Stability, and Symmetry of Relative Equilibria with a Dominant Vortex

We analyze existence, stability, and symmetry of point vortex relative equilibria with one dominant vortex and

Relative Equilibria of the (1+ N )-Vortex Problem

N

A new integration of Munk’s linear model of wind-driven ocean circulation

vortices with infinitesimal circulation. The dimension of the problem can be reduced by taking an infinitesimal circulation limit, resulting in the so-called

Nonsmooth frameworks for an extended Budyko model

(1+N)

A Filippov framework for an extended Budyko model

-vortex problem. In this work, we first generalize the reduction to allow for circulations of varying signs and weights. We then prove that symmetric configurations require equality of two circulation parameters in the

A Filippov framework for a conceptual climate model

(1+3)