Consequential noise-induced synchronization of indirectly coupled self-sustained oscillators

We consider the dynamics of identical self-sustained oscillators coupled via a common linear system (beam), which is perturbed by noise. We demonstrate that increasing the noise intensity induces complete synchronization between the oscillators and, surprisingly, their in-phase synchronization with the beam. This new phenomenon of in-phase synchronization of both the oscillators and the oscillating beam arises when the noise intensity exceeds a threshold value, and can not appear in the deterministic case where the beam stably oscillates in anti-phase with the synchronized oscillators (as it is in the case of the Huygens clocks synchronization). Similar behavior persists for slightly non-identical oscillators.     

Synchronization of two self-excited double pendula

We consider the synchronization of two self-excited double pendula. We show that such pendula hanging on the same beam can have four different synchronous configurations. Our approximate analytical analysis allows us to derive the synchronization conditions and explain the observed types of synchronization. We consider an energy balance in the system and describe how the energy is transferred between the pendula via the oscillating beam, allowing thus the pendula synchronization. Changes and stability ranges of the obtained solutions with increasing and decreasing masses of the pendula are shown using path-following.     

Delay time modulation induced oscillating synchronization and intermittent anticipatory/lag and complete synchronizations in time-delay nonlinear dynamical systems

Existence of a new type of oscillating synchronization that oscillates between three different types of synchronizations (anticipatory, complete, and lag synchronizations) is identified in unidirectionally coupled nonlinear time-delay systems having two different time-delays, that is feedback delay with a periodic delay time modulation and a constant coupling delay. Intermittent anticipatory, intermittent lag, and complete synchronizations are shown to exist in the same system with identical delay time modulations in both the delays. The transition from anticipatory to complete synchronization and from complete to lag synchronization as a function of coupling delay with suitable stability condition is discussed. The intermittent anticipatory and lag synchronizations are characterized by the minimum of the similarity functions and the intermittent behavior is characterized by a universal asymptotic -32 power law distribution. It is also shown that the delay time carved out of the trajectories of the time-delay system with periodic delay time modulation cannot be estimated using conventional methods, thereby reducing the possibility of decoding the message by phase space reconstruction.     

Adjustability as a requirement of ideal clocks

A coordinate frame is considered as an arrangement of clocks that meet certain criteria of synchronization. Einstein's ideal clock is compared with the behavior required for clocks to maintain synchrony in the group of coordinate frames that leaves Maxwell's equations invariant. The required clock rates differ from the rate of Einstein's clock. An ideal adjustable clock is defined as an Einstein clock augmented by variable “gearing” that can offset its rate. Ongoing adjustment of these clocks enables them to meet all synchronization criteria in the group of coordinate frames. The need for adjustment is due to the well known invariance of Maxwell's equations under a group of coordinate transformations larger than the Lorentz group, and has nothing to do with imperfections in clocks. It is shown that the adjustments needed by ideal adjustable clocks to maintain synchrony can be measurably separated from additional adjustments that may be needed to compensate for random imperfections. The necessity for adjustment brings with it the necessity for ongoing measurement of the light signals whose exchange defines synchronization. Implications are discussed, both for the interpretation of Maxwell's equations and for the role of measuring instruments.     

A new class of ideal clocks

We have found a new class of ideal clocks within general relativity. They are self-gravitating systems such as rotating stars, rotating black holes, and binary star systems. The gravitational red shift of the observed period of rotation of such clocks in a given, weak external gravitational field is shown to be the same as that of an ideal atomic clock. Because the clocks have structure and dynamics determined by gravitational interactions, the full nonlinear machinery of general relativity must be used. This result is important for the binary pulsar PSR 1913+16, where the gravitational red shift of the pulsar's frequency caused by the companion's gravitational field is an observable effect.Supported in part by the National Science Foundation Grant Nos. PHY81-15800 and PHY83-13545.This essay received the third award from the Gravity Research Foundation for 1984-Ed.     

Characterizing the dynamics of coupled pendulums via symbolic time series analysis

We propose a novel method of symbolic time-series analysis aimed at characterizing the regular or chaotic dynamics of coupled oscillators. The method is applied to two identical pendulums mounted on a frictionless platform, resembling Huygens’ clocks. Employing a transformation rule inspired in ordinal analysis [C. Bandt and B. Pompe, Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 174102 (2002)], the dynamics of the coupled system is represented by a sequence of symbols that are determined by the order in which the trajectory of each pendulum intersects an appropriately chosen hyperplane in the phase space. For two coupled pendulums we use four symbols corresponding to the crossings of the vertical axis (at the bottom equilibrium point), either clock-wise or anti-clock wise. The complexity of the motion, quantified in terms of the entropy of the symbolic sequence, is compared with the degree of chaos, quantified in terms of the largest Lyapunov exponent. We demonstrate that the symbolic entropy sheds light into the large variety of different periodic and chaotic motions, with different types synchronization, that cannot be inferred from the Lyapunov analysis.     

Optical lattice clocks

Optical lattice clocks, which were first imagined in 2000, should allow to achieve unprecedented performances in the domain of atomic clocks. We first discuss here the principle of operation of these clocks, in particular trapping atoms in the Lamb-Dicke regime and the notion of magic wavelength. We then describe the operation of an actual lattice clock using Sr atoms and developed at LNE-SYRTE. Its present accuracy is 2.6 ⋅ 10^-15.     

Separate Polarization Modes Synchronization and Synchronization Switches between Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers

For vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with polarization-rotated feedback, there exist several synchronization types such as synchronizations between total powers and synchronizations between separate polarization modes. Based on the two-mode rate equations, we study and compare numerically the performances of different synchronization types. Our results show that three synchronization types exhibit good performances when their synchronization conditions are satisfied. They are the complete synchronization between total powers, complete synchronization between x-polarized modes, and generalized synchronization between x-polarized and y-polarized modes. The former two types are sensitive to the injection rate and spontaneous emission, while the third type is contrary. Synchronization type with the best performance may switch from one to another, with changing of injection rate and spontaneous emission factor.     

Entangled quantum clocks for measuring proper-time difference

We report that entangled pairs of quantum clocks (non-degenerate quantum bits) can be used as a specialized detector for precisely measuring difference of proper-times that each constituent quantum clock experiences. We describe why the proposed scheme would be more precise in the measurement of proper-time difference than a scheme of two-separate-quantum-clocks. We consider possibilities that the proposed scheme can be used in precision test of the relativity theory. Received 7 November 2001     

Synchronization of Huygens' clocks and the Poincaré method

We study two models of connected pendulum clocks synchronizing their oscillations, a phenomenon originally observed by Huygens. The oscillation angles are assumed to be small so that the pendulums are modeled by harmonic oscillators, clock escapements are modeled by the van der Pol terms. The mass ratio of the pendulum bobs to their casings is taken as a small parameter. Analytic conditions for existence and stability of synchronization regimes, and analytic expressions for their stable amplitudes and period corrections are derived using the Poincaré theorem on existence of periodic solutions in autonomous quasi-linear systems. The anti-phase regime always exists and is stable under variation of the system parameters. The in-phase regime may exist and be stable, exist and be unstable, or not exist at all depending on parameter values. As the damping in the frame connecting the clocks is increased the in-phase stable amplitude and period are decreasing until the regime first destabilizes and then disappears. The results are most complete for the traditional three degrees of freedom model, where the clock casings and the frame are consolidated into a single mass.     

Collective chaos synchronization of pairs of modes in a chaotic three-mode laser

We study chaos synchronization experimentally in a modulated globally coupled three-mode laser with different modal gains subjected to self-mixing Doppler-shifted feedback, which can apply the loss modulation to individual modes at Doppler-shift frequencies. Depending on the pump power, different forms of collective chaos synchronizations were found to appear when the laser was modulated at the highest relaxation oscillation frequency, reflecting the change in cross-saturation coefficient among modes. In the present experiment, each pair of modes exhibited phase, lag, or generalized synchronization collectively according to the inherent antiphase dynamics, where these types of synchronization have already been demonstrated in two coupled chaotic oscillators in different physical systems. Information flows among oscillating modes which are established in different forms of collective chaos synchronizations were characterized by information-circulation analysis of the experimental time series. (c) 2002 American Institute of Physics.     

Trapping of neutral mercury atoms and prospects for optical lattice clocks

We report vapor-cell magneto-optical trapping of Hg isotopes on the (1)S(0)-(3)P(1) intercombination transition. Six abundant isotopes, including four bosons and two fermions, were trapped. Hg is the heaviest nonradioactive atom trapped so far, which enables sensitive atomic searches for "new physics" beyond the standard model. We propose an accurate optical lattice clock based on Hg and evaluate its systematic accuracy to be better than 10;{-18}. Highly accurate and stable Hg-based clocks will provide a new avenue for the research of optical lattice clocks and the time variation of the fine-structure constant.     

Complete synchronization induced by disorder in coupled chaotic lattices

The effect of phase disorder in external forces introduced into two-dimensional lattices of coupled chaotic pendulums is investigated. As the increase of the disorder, we find complete synchronization between the pendulums in each chain and different periodic synchronized patterns, while the chain remains asynchronous if all driving forces have the same phase. Applying the master stability function method, an analytic solution is given to support the numerical results. All these findings may provide further insight into chaos control and synchronization in nonlinear systems.     

Cross and joint ordinal partition transition networks for multivariate time series analysis

We propose the construction of cross and joint ordinal pattern transition networks from multivariate time series for two coupled systems, where synchronizations are often present. In particular, we focus on phase synchronization, which is a prototypical scenario in dynamical systems. We systematically show that cross and joint ordinal pattern transition networks are sensitive to phase synchronization. Furthermore, we find that some particular missing ordinal patterns play crucial roles in forming the detailed structures in the parameter space, whereas the calculations of permutation entropy measures often do not. We conclude that cross and joint ordinal partition transition network approaches provide complementary insights into the traditional symbolic analysis of synchronization transitions.     

Modulation of brain functional connectivity with manual acupuncture in healthy subjects: An electroencephalograph case studying

Manual acupuncture is widely used for pain treatment and stress control. Previous studies on acupuncture have shown its modulatory effects on functional connectivity associated with one or a few preselected brain regions. To investigate how manual acupuncture modulates the organization of functional networks at a whole-brain level, we acupuncture at ST36 of right leg to obtain electroencephalograph (EEG) signals. By coherence estimation, we determine the synchronizations between all pairwise combinations of EEG channels in three acupuncture states. The resulting synchronization matrices are converted into functional networks by applying a threshold, and clustering coefficients and path lengths are computed as a function of threshold. The results show that acupuncture can increase functional connections and synchronizations between different brain areas. For a wide range of threshold, the clustering coefficient during acupuncture and post-acupuncture period is higher than that during the pre-acupuncture control period, whereas characteristic path length is shorter. We provide further support for the presence of "small-world" network characteristics in functional networks by acupuncture. These preliminary results highlight the beneficial modulations of functional connectivity by manual acupuncture, which could contribute to the understanding of acupuncture effects on the entire brain, as well as the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying acupuncture. Moreover, the proposed method may be a useful approach to the further investigation of the complexity of patterns of interrelations between EEG channels.     

Synchronization of coupled oscillators on small-world networks

We investigate the synchronous dynamics of Kuramoto oscillators and van der Pol oscillators on Watts-Strogatz type small-world networks. The order parameters to characterize macroscopic synchronization are calculated by numerical integration. We focus on the difference between frequency synchronization and phase synchronization. In both oscillator systems, the critical coupling strength of the phase order is larger than that of the frequency order for the small-world networks. The critical coupling strength for the phase and frequency synchronization diverges as the network structure approaches the regular one. For the Kuramoto oscillators, the behavior can be described by a power-law function and the exponents are obtained for the two synchronizations. The separation of the critical point between the phase and frequency synchronizations is found only for small-world networks in the theoretical models studied.     

Atomic clocks: A brief history and current status of research in India

Frequency corresponding to the energy difference between designated levels of an atom provides precise reference for making a universally accurate clock. Since the middle of the 20th century till now, there have been tremendous efforts in the field of atomic clocks making time the most accurately measured physical quantity. National Physical Laboratory India (NPLI) is the nation’s timekeeper and is developing an atomic fountain clock which will be a primary frequency standard. The fountain is currently operational and is at the stage of complete frequency evaluation. In this paper, a brief review on atomic time along with some of the recent results from the fountain clock will be discussed.     

Physical-layer distributed synchronization in wireless networks and applications

Physical-layer (pulse-coupled) techniques for distributed synchronization in wireless networks are attracting significant attention for their efficiency and scalability. In this paper, the model of pulse-coupled discrete Phase Locked Loops is reviewed and further investigated in two directions. At first, we extend the characterization of (frequency or phase) synchronous states and convergence conditions from homogeneous networks, where all the nodes have the same power constraints, to more general heterogeneous networks. Towards this goal, we build on recent results on algebraic graph theory for generally non-bidirectional graphs, and derive: (i) necessary and sufficient conditions for global synchronization of the network; (ii) closed-form expressions for the asymptotic values of frequency and phases, as a function of the network topology. In the second part of the paper, an application of pulse-coupled synchronization is considered, namely data collection in a sensor network. The energy efficiency of two medium access protocols for data collection from a set of randomly located sensors to an access point is compared: (i) basic ALOHA (which does not require time synchronization among the sensors); (ii) slotted ALOHA, where time synchronization is achieved via pulse-coupled clocks. Analysis shows that the energy spent for maintaining synchronization in slotted ALOHA pays off in terms of total energy consumption with respect to basic ALOHA provided that the number of sensors is sufficiently small. Moreover, the energy gain is proved to depend explicitly on the system load (in terms of packets /s), hardware and topology of the network.     

On the measurement of proper time in general relativity by means of atomic clocks

The quantity , which is called the proper time of a particle in the general theory of relativity, has the following meaning: it is the time measured by clocks moving with the particle. The question arises of how proper time is measured by real clocks. At present, atomic clocks are the most accurate, being stabilized by the frequency of intraatomic transitions. In the present paper, the stability of the reference frequency of such clocks is considered, i.e., the possible discrepancies between the proper time and the time measured by atomic clocks.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 1, pp. 99–102, January, 1981.     

Frequency ratios of Sr,Yb, and Hg based optical lattice clocks and their applications

This article describes the recent progress of optical lattice clocks with neutral strontium (⁸⁷Sr), ytterbium (¹⁷¹Yb) and mercury (¹⁹⁹Hg) atoms. In particular, we present frequency comparison between the clocks locally via an optical frequency comb and between two Sr clocks at remote sites using a phase-stabilized fibre link. We first review cryogenic Sr optical lattice clocks that reduce the room-temperature blackbody radiation shift by two orders of magnitude and serve as a reference in the following clock comparisons. Similar physical properties of Sr and Yb atoms, such as transition wavelengths and vapour pressure, have allowed our development of a compatible clock for both species. A cryogenic Yb clock is evaluated by referencing a Sr clock. We also report on an Hg clock, which shows one order of magnitude less sensitivity to blackbody radiation, while its large nuclear charge makes the clock sensitive to the variation of fine-structure constant. Connecting all three types of clocks by an optical frequency comb, the ratios of the clock frequencies are determined with uncertainties smaller than possible through absolute frequency measurements. Finally, we describe a synchronous frequency comparison between two Sr-based remote clocks over a distance of 15 km between RIKEN and the University of Tokyo, as a step towards relativistic geodesy.