title: The behavior of rings of coupled oscillators.
abstract: Coupled oscillators in a ring are studied using perturbation and numerical methods. Stability of waves with nearest neighbor weak coupling is shown for a class of simple oscillators. Linkens' model for colorectal activity is analyzed and several stable modes are found. Stability of waves with general (non nearest neighbor coupling) is determined and comparisons to the nearest neighbor case are made. Approximate solutions to a ring with inhomogeneities are compared with numerical simulations.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000502:physiology; D008433:Mathematics; D008954:Models, Biological; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology*; D009991:Oscillometry; D012007:Rectum / Q000502:physiology