Summary
We introduce a numerical analysis framework for controlling isolated response curves (isolas), i.e., curves that form closed loops and are not connected to the main branch of solutions. The methodology relies on bifurcation tracking analyses to monitor the evolution of node-collocation bifurcations in a codimension-2 space. Singularity theory is employed to differentiate points of isolas formation and merger from codimension-2 bifurcations. An optimization problem is defined to advance or delay the formation or merger of isolas.
