Past exam of the mathematics and the environment and mathematical physiology course of the University of Oxford / 2009 / B / 5 / d

For Hopf thresholds in a two-pool calcium model, with the unique equilibrium parametrized by $u=\mu$, locate changes of stability by solving the two equationsIf there are two simple roots ${\mu }_{-}<{\mu }_{+}$ with positive trace between them, the equilibrium is a repeller throughout that interval, since its determinant stays positive. At a nondegenerate crossing a Hopf bifurcation is possible, with linear frequency $[-f_v/ϵ{]}^{1/2}$. A complete classification of criticality requires a nonlinear coefficient, not merely the trace calculation. At leading singular order the thresholds approach the folds determined by $f=0$ and $f_v-\gamma f_u=0$, equivalently $V^{\prime }=-1/\gamma$.

Periodic solutions are also supported globally in the positive quadrant. The axes point inward for positive input, $v^{\prime }\le (\beta -\delta v)/ϵ$ bounds $v$, and the $u$ equation then bounds $u$ by a linear restoring term plus a bounded source. A large rectangle can thus be chosen forward invariant. For an initial point distinct from the repelling unique equilibrium, its omega-limit set cannot contain that equilibrium or a boundary equilibrium. The Poincaré-Bendixson theorem supplies a periodic orbit. In the strong separation regime it follows the two attracting branches and jumps between them, a relaxation oscillation.

The interval requires the maximum of $f_v-\gamma f_u$ along the critical manifold to exceed $ϵ$; the listed scale hierarchy alone is not a substitute for that test for arbitrary remaining constants. As an explicit example, $\beta =0.1$, $\delta =10^{-5}$, $ϵ=5\times 10^{-4}$ and $\gamma =0.1$ give approximately ${\mu }_{-}=0.22618$ and ${\mu }_{+}=0.37350$. At $\mu =0.3$ the trace is positive, whereas at $0.03$ and $1$ it is negative. The figures use this example and label their singular-limit portions accordingly.