Dintermittence

Dintermittence is a term used in discussions of dynamical systems to describe a pattern in which two distinct intermittent regimes alternate in time. In such a regime, the system exhibits bursts of activity punctuated by quiescent phases, but the statistical properties of bursts differ between the two regimes, and the switching between regimes may be slow or driven by external modulation.

Etymology: The word combines the prefix di- meaning two with intermittence, itself derived from French, reflecting the notion of irregular, episodic activity. In literature, the term is used selectively to emphasize dual intermittent behavior rather than a single, homogeneous intermittence.

Characteristics: Dintermittence can be identified by time series that show two different burst-length distributions or two distinct waiting-time distributions, with a switching mechanism tied to a latent variable, external forcing, or internal stochastic dynamics. The two regimes may have different duty cycles, autocorrelation structures, or spectral signatures, and the overall signal is a mixture of the two intermittent processes.

Mechanisms and models: Proposed explanations include coupled stochastic processes, two-state switching with regime-dependent burst parameters, or slow modulation of a single intermittent process. Analyses often employ regime segmentation, change-point detection, and comparisons of inter-event-time distributions to assess the presence and properties of dual intermittence.

Applications and relation to other concepts: Dintermittence appears in theoretical studies of nonlinear dynamics, physics, neuroscience, climate systems, and engineering where two intermittent processes interact. It is related to, but distinct from, on-off intermittency, burstiness, and standard intermittence, and it highlights how multiple intermittent mechanisms can co-occur within a single system.