Robust Optimization and Validation of Echo State Networks for learning chaotic dynamics

An approach to the time-accurate prediction of chaotic solutions is by learning temporal patterns from data. Echo State Networks (ESNs), which are a class of Reservoir Computing, can accurately predict the chaotic dynamics well beyond the predictability time. Existing studies, however, also showed that small changes in the hyperparameters may markedly affect the network's performance. The overarching aim of this paper is to improve the robustness in the selection of hyperparameters in Echo State Networks for the time-accurate prediction of chaotic solutions. We define the robustness of a validation strategy as its ability to select hyperparameters that perform consistently between validation and test sets. The goal is three-fold. First, we investigate routinely used validation strategies. Second, we propose the Recycle Validation, and the chaotic versions of existing validation strategies, to specifically tackle the forecasting of chaotic systems. Third, we compare Bayesian optimization with the traditional grid search for optimal hyperparameter selection. Numerical tests are performed on prototypical nonlinear systems that have chaotic and quasiperiodic solutions, such as the Lorenz and Lorenz-96 systems, and the Kuznetsov oscillator. Both model-free and model-informed Echo State Networks are analysed. By comparing the networks’ performance in learning chaotic (unpredictable) versus quasiperiodic (predictable) solutions, we highlight fundamental challenges in learning chaotic solutions. The proposed validation strategies, which are based on the dynamical systems properties of chaotic time series, are shown to outperform the state-of-the-art validation strategies. Because the strategies are principled – they are based on chaos theory such as the Lyapunov time – they can be applied to other Recurrent Neural Networks architectures with little modification. This work opens up new possibilities for the robust design and application of Echo State Networks, and Recurrent Neural Networks, to the time-accurate prediction of chaotic systems.