Dynamics of three coupled van der Pol oscillators with application to circadian rhythms (Q868081)

The authors study the dynamics of nonsymmetrically coupled van der Pol oscillators \[ \ddot x - \varepsilon (1-x^2)\dot x +x =\varepsilon \mu (w-x), \quad \ddot w - \varepsilon (1-w^2)\dot w +p^2 w =2\varepsilon \mu (x-w), \] where \(\varepsilon>0\) is a small parameter, and \(p=1+\varepsilon \Delta\). Such systems arise as a result of a reduction of a system of three symmetrically coupled van der Pol oscillators on the synchronization manifold. Using the multiple scale technique and numerical bifurcation analysis, the authors study the dynamics for different values of the control parameters \(\mu\) and \(\Delta\). In particular, conditions for the existence of periodic and stationary solutions (stable as well as unstable) are given.