Discrete Geometric Singular Perturbation Theory

Abstract

We propose a mathematical formalism for discrete multi-scale dynamical systems induced by maps which parallels the established geometric singular perturbation theory for continuous-time fast-slow systems. We identify limiting maps corresponding to both 'fast' and 'slow' iteration under the map. A notion of normal hyperbolicity is defined by a spectral gap requirement for the multipliers of the fast limiting map along a critical fixed-point manifold $S$. We provide a set of Fenichel-like perturbation theorems by reformulating pre-existing results so that they apply near compact, normally hyperbolic submanifolds of $S$. The persistence of the critical manifold $S$, local stable/unstable manifolds $W^{s/u}_{loc}(S)$ and foliations of $W^{s/u}_{loc}(S)$ by stable/unstable fibers is described in detail. The practical utility of the resulting discrete geometric singular perturbation theory (DGSPT) is demonstrated in applications. First, we use DGSPT to identify singular geometry corresponding to excitability, relaxation, chaotic and non-chaotic bursting in a map-based neural model. Second, we derive results which relate the geometry and dynamics of fast-slow ODEs with non-trivial time-scale separation and their Euler-discretized counterpart. Finally, we show that fast-slow ODE systems with fast rotation give rise to fast-slow Poincar\'e maps, the geometry and dynamics of which can be described in detail using DGSPT.