Controlled generation of switching dynamics among metastable states in pulse-coupled oscillator networks

Alternating activity patterns and a chimeralike state in a network of globally coupled excitable Morris-Lecar neurons

Spatiotemporal chaos collapses to either a rest state or a propagating pulse in a ring network of diffusively coupled, excitable Morris-Lecar neurons. Adding global varying synaptic coupling to the ring network reveals complex transient behavior. Spatiotemporal chaos collapses into a transient pulse that reinitiates spatiotemporal chaos to allow sequential pattern switching until a collapse to the rest state. A domain of irregular neuron activity coexists with a domain of inactive neurons forming a transient chimeralike state. Transient spatial localization of the chimeralike state is observed for stronger synapses.

Transient chaos and associated system-intrinsic switching of spacetime patterns in two synaptically coupled layers of Morris-Lecar neurons

Spatiotemporal chaos collapses to either a rest state or a propagating pulse solution in a single layer of diffusively coupled, excitable Morris-Lecar neurons. Weak synaptic coupling of two such layers reveals system intrinsic switching of spatiotemporal activity patterns within and between the layers at irregular times. Within a layer, switching sequences include spatiotemporal chaos, erratic and regular pulse propagation, spontaneous network wide neuron activity, and rest state. A momentary substantial reduction in neuron activity in one layer can reinitiate transient spatiotemporal chaos in the other layer, which can induce a swap of spatiotemporal chaos with a pulse state between the layers. Presynaptic input maximizes the distance between propagating pulses, in contrast to pulse merging in the absence of synapses.