Slowing down critical transitions via Gaussian white noise and periodic force

Abstract

Stochastic perturbations and periodic excitations are generally regarded as sources to induce critical transitions in complex systems. However, we find that they are also able to slow down an imminent critical transition. To illustrate this phenomenon, a periodically driven bistable eutrophication model with Gaussian white noise is introduced as a prototype class of real systems. The residence probability (RP) is presented to measure the possibility that the given system stays in the oligotrophic state versus Gaussian white noise and periodic force. Variations in the mean first passage time (MFPT) and the mean velocity (MV) of the first right-crossing process are also calculated respectively. We show that the frequency of the periodic force can increase the MFPT while reduce the MV under different control parameters. Nevertheless, the noise intensity or the amplitude may result in an increase of the RP only in the case of control parameters approaching the critical values. Furthermore, for an impending critical transition, an increase of the RP appears with the interaction between the amplitude and noise intensity or the combination of the noise intensity and frequency, while the interaction of the frequency and amplitude leads to an extension of the MFPT or a decrease of the MV. As a result, an increase of the RP and MFPT, and a decrease of the MV obtained from our results claim that it is possible to slow down an imminent critical transition via Gaussian white noise and periodic force.