Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering
Title
Period-Doubling Bifurcation to Alternans in Paced Cardiac Tissue: Crossover from Smooth to Border-Collision Characteristics
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-2007
Abstract
We investigate, both experimentally and theoretically, the period-doubling bifurcation to alternans in heart tissue. Previously, this phenomenon has been modeled with either smooth or border-collision dynamics. Using a modification of existing experimental techniques, we find a hybrid behavior: Very close to the bifurcation point, the dynamics is smooth, whereas further away it is border-collision-like. The essence of this behavior is captured by a model that exhibits what we call an unfolded border-collision bifurcation. This new model elucidates that, in an experiment, where only a limited number of data points can be measured, the smooth behavior of the bifurcation can easily be missed.
Recommended Citation
Xiaopeng Zhao, Carolyn M. Berger, David G. Schaeffer, Hana M. Dobrovolny, Wanda Krassowska, and Daniel J. Gauthier. "Period-Doubling Bifurcation to Alternans in Paced Cardiac Tissue: Crossover from Smooth to Border-Collision Characteristics" Physical Review Letters 99.5 (2007): 058101-1-058101-4.