Mode analysis of a tubular structure of coupled non-linear oscillators for digestive-tract modelling (Q761368)

A commonly accepted mathematical model for the slow-wave electrical activity of the gastro-intestinal tract of humans and animals comprises a set of interconnected non-linear oscillators. Using a van der Pol oscillator with third-power conductance characteristics as the unit oscillator a number of structures have been analysed using a matrix Krylov-Bogolioubov method linearisation. The mode analysis of one- dimensional chains and two-dimensional arrays has been reported. In this paper the method has been extended to consider a tubular structure which is relevant to modelling small-intestinal rhythms. It is shown that this structure is capable of producing stable single modes, non-resonant double modes and degenerate modes. General expressions are obtained for an \(m\times n\) structure and examples given of two special conditions of \(3\times 4\) (i.e. odd numbers of oscillators in a ring) and \(4\times 3\) cases. The analytical results obtained for these two cases have been verified experimentally using an electronic implementation of coupled van der Pol oscillators. Results obtained using fifth-power non- linear oscillators are summarised.