ME261: Differential Equations

Aug–Dec 2023
Assignment 2 Due: Sep. 28, 2023

Answer the questions below. If appropriate, please box your final expression/ result.

Question 1: Hopf bifurcations in machining

Let’s look at a simple phenomenological model for machine tool vibration. Consider the
system of ODEs in polar coordinates :

ṙ = r(∆f + r)(a − r) (1)

θ̇ = 1 (2)

Assume that all the variables are suitably non-dimensionalised. r represents the ampli-
tude of the tool vibration, θ̇ represents the tool vibration frequency which is simply set
to 1. ∆f is a measure of how large the feed rate is, beyond some critical value. a > 0
represents some fixed critical amplitude of vibration for the tool.
(a) What are the fixed points and curves of the system, as we vary ∆f ? Comment on
their stability.
(b) Plot the trajectories in phase-space, and physically interpret them.
(c) Do you expect a bifurcation ? What kind, and when ?
(d) Imagine that you start off with ∆f < 0. What will happen to a state at some
(r0 , θ0 ) where r0 < |∆f | ? Now, if you increase ∆f very quickly, compared to the
response time of the machine tool, what do you expect at ∆f = 0 ? Physically
interpret this.
(e) Let’s do the reverse. If we start off with ∆f > 0, and at some (r0 , θ0 ) where r0 < a,
what will happen ? Now, if you reduce ∆f , do you expect the tool to vibrate ? If
we decrease ∆f again much faster than the tool’s response time, will the vibration
damp out ?
(f) If increasing and decreasing ∆f gave you different results qualitatively, what’s going
on?1

Question 2: Another wave of Covid!

Assume that the total population, can be divided into I infected individuals, S individu-
als who are susceptible to getting infected, and R individuals who have recovered from an
infection. Susceptible individuals can get infected via transmission from infected ones,
infected individuals can recover, a recovered individual does not get infected again, and
we’ll be kind enough and assume no one dies. You’re also given the following information.

• The rate of transmission of the disease is proportional to S and I

• The rate at which infected individuals recover is proportional to I

Assume the required proportionality constants, as your favourite greek symbols.

1
Hint : You’ve seen something similar in class
ME261 ODE Assignment 2, Page 2 of 3 Due: Sep. 28, 2023

(a) Obtain a system of ODEs to model the dynamics of S, I and R.

(b) Do we have a 3D system or a 2D system ? Justify your answer.
(c) What kind of fixed points do you obtain ?
(d) Plot the phase portrait for the system, and physically interpret the trajectories.
(e) Can you comment on the possible bifurcations, if any ?

Question 3: Survival
Let N1 and N2 be the number of deer, and tigers in a forest. The deer can increase in
number due to reproduction, and decrease in number due to unavailability of enough
resources, or by getting eaten by tigers. The tigers can increase in number by reproduc-
ing, and decrease in number if they don’t get enough food (deer). A simple model which
accounts for these is :

Ṅ1 = N1 (α − N1 ) − βN1 N2 (3)

Ṅ2 = N2 (N1 − ϵ) (4)

(a) Obtain the fixed points and analyse their stability. Sketch the trajectories in phase-
space.
(b) What kind of bifurcations do you expect ? Physically interpret them.

Question 4: A toy model for phase transition

The famous Ising model, is used to predict the spontaneous magnetisation of ferromag-
netic materials, beyond a certain critical temperature Tc . Magnetisation in a material is
due to magnetic dipoles (or spins) within the material. Think of them as arrows point-
ing up (+1) or down (-1), at each lattice site. The neighbouring dipoles interact with
each other and one could define a free energy F for this system. Let m be the average
magnetisation of a material, and the free energy F as a function of temperature T is
given by,

m4 m2 (T − Tc )
F = − (5)
4 2
Given an initial configurations of spins, the system evolves so as to minimise the free
energy, so that
dm ∂F
=− (6)
dt ∂m
(a) Find the fixed points, as we vary T . Comment on their stability.
(b) Do you expect a bifurcation ? When, and of what kind ? What does this physically
correspond to at T just greater than Tc ?

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ME261 ODE Assignment 2, Page 3 of 3 Due: Sep. 28, 2023

Question 5: Simple pendulum

(a) Obtain the governing equation for the motion of a simple pendulum. Please use a
schematic to define an angle θ with the vertical.
(b) Treating it as 2D system, classify the fixed points, and plot the trajectories in phase
space between any −π and π.
(c) If there was an additional damping term proportional to the velocity, how would
your phase-portrait change ?

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