Numerical computation of heteroclinic orbits (Q1120976)

This paper develops a numerical solution to certain problems involving heteroclinic orbits which are orbits of a system of ordinary differential equations with fixed points. The paper is restricted to orbits connecting two saddle points and the system of equations considered together with the subsidiary equations contains 8 scalar variables which define the orbit. The period of the orbit can either be kept fixed or substituted for one of the parameters. Examples are given and an error analysis is presented for one of these examples. This is the Huxley equation which is a partial differential equation which can be reduced to a system of ordinary differential equations for a particular form of solution equivalent to the waveform travelling at constant speed.