Bifurcations to travelling planar spots in a three-component FitzHugh-Nagumo system

In this article, we analyse bifurcations from stationary stable spots to travelling spots in a planar threecomponent FitzHugh-Nagumo system that was proposed previously as a phenomenological model of gasdischarge systems. By combining formal analyses, centre-manifold reductions, and detailed numerical continuation studies, we show that, in the parameter regime under consideration, the stationary spot destabilizes either through its zeroth Fourier mode in a Hopf bifurcation or through its first Fourier mode in a pitchfork or drift bifurcation, whilst the remaining Fourier modes appear to create only secondary bifurcations. Pitchfork bifurcations result in travelling spots, and we derive criteria for the criticality of these bifurcations. Our main finding is that supercritical drift bifurcations, leading to stable travelling spots, arise in this model, which does not seem possible for its two-component version. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.