Model-free prediction of multistability using echo state network.

In the field of complex dynamics, multistable attractors have been gaining significant attention due to their unpredictability in occurrence and extreme sensitivity to initial conditions. Co-existing attractors are abundant in diverse systems ranging from climate to finance and ecological to social systems. In this article, we investigate a data-driven approach to infer different dynamics of a multistable system using an echo state network. We start with a parameter-aware reservoir and predict diverse dynamics for different parameter values. Interestingly, a machine is able to reproduce the dynamics almost perfectly even at distant parameters, which lie considerably far from the parameter values related to the training dynamics. In continuation, we can predict whole bifurcation diagram significant accuracy as well. We extend this study for exploring various dynamics of multistable attractors at an unknown parameter value. While we train the machine with the dynamics of only one attractor at parameter p, it can capture the dynamics of a co-existing attractor at a new parameter value p + Δ p. Continuing the simulation for a multiple set of initial conditions, we can identify the basins for different attractors. We generalize the results by applying the scheme on two distinct multistable systems.