Synchronization processes in complex networks

During the last decades the emergence of collective dynamics in large networks of coupled units has been investigated in fields such as optics, chemistry, biology and ecology. Recently, complex networks have provided a challenging framework for the study of synchronization of dynamical units, based on the interplay between complexity in the overall topology and local dynamical properties of the coupled units. In this work, we review the constructive role played by such complex wirings for the synchronization of networks of coupled dynamical systems. We review the main techniques that have been proposed for assessing the propensity for synchronization (synchronizability) of a given networked system. We will also describe the main applications, especially in the view of selecting the optimal topology in the coupling configuration that provides enhancement of the synchronization features.