Relaxation self-oscillations in neuron systems. III (Q425224)

Consider the diffusively coupled system of delay-differential equations modelling the interaction of \(m\) neurons \[ {du_j\over dt}= d(u_{j+1}- 2u_j+ u_{j-1})+ \lambda[-1+\alpha f(u_j(t- 1))-\beta g(u_j)] u_j\;j= 1,\dots, m,\tag{\(*\)} \] with \(m\geq 2\), \(u_{m+1}= u_m\), \(u_0= u_1\) under the assumptions (i) \(\alpha\), \(\beta\), \(d\), \(\lambda\) are positive parameters satisfying \(\alpha> 1+\beta\), \(\lambda\gg 1\). (ii) \(f\), \(g\) are twice continuously differentiable functions with the properties \[ f(0)= g(0)= 1,\;0<\beta g(u)+ 1<\alpha\quad\text{for }u\geq 0, \] \[ f(u),\;g(u),\;uf'(u),\;ug'(u),\;u^2f''(u),\;u^2g''(u)= O\Bigg({1\over u}\Biggr)\text{ as }u\to+\infty. \] Under these conditions, system \((*)\) admits the so-called homogeneous cycle \(u_1(t,\lambda)=\dotsb= u_m(t,\lambda)\) obeying the equation \[ {du\over dt}= \lambda[-1+\alpha f(u(t-1))-\beta g(u)]\,u \] (see the reviews of Parts I and II [ibid. 47, No. 7, 927--941 (2011); translation from Differ. Uravn. 47, No. 7, 919--932 (2011; Zbl 1276.34068); ibid. 47, No. 12, 1697--1713 (2011); translation from Differ. Uravn. 47, No. 12, 1675--1692 (2011); Zbl 1276.34069)]). The authors prove that the homogeneous cycle is an exponentially orbitally stable solution of \((*)\), additionally they show that, for a suitable choice of \(\alpha\), \(\beta\) and \(d\), system \((*)\) has at least \(m\) exponentially stable inhomogeneous periodic solutions which are called autowave modes.