Enhancing model identification with SINDy via nullcline reconstruction

Many dynamical systems exhibit oscillatory behavior that can be modeled with differential equations. Recently, these equations have increasingly been derived through data-driven methods, including the transparent technique known as Sparse Identification of Nonlinear Dynamics (SINDy). This paper illustrates the importance of accurately determining the system's limit cycle position in phase space for identifying sparse and effective models. We introduce a method for identifying the limit cycle position and the system's nullclines by applying SINDy to datasets adjusted with various offsets. This approach is evaluated using three criteria: model complexity, coefficient of determination, and generalization error. We applied this method to several models: the oscillatory FitzHugh-Nagumo model, a more complex model consisting of two coupled cubic differential equations with a single stable state, and a multistable model of glycolytic oscillations. Our results confirm that incorporating detailed information about the limit cycle in phase space enhances the accuracy of model identification in oscillatory systems.