Figure 16

Stripe-like, crystalline, and quasi-crystalline cortical representations as optimal solutions to the joint mapping problem of visual space and orientation preference in the EN. (a-d) Phase diagrams for the joint mapping of visual space and orientation preference in the EN near criticality for η _r = 0 (a), η _r = 0.01 (b), η _r = 0.1 (c), and η _r = 10 (d). The graphs show the regions of the s₄-σ/Λ-plane in which coupled n-ECPs or sPWCs have minimal energy. For n ≥ 3, pinwheel densities of the energetically favored n-ECP configuration are indicated. Note the strong similarity between the phase diagrams and the phase diagrams in the fixed retinotopy case (Figure 12).