Chimera states for coupled oscillators

Arrays of identical oscillators can display a remarkable spatiotemporal pattern in which phase-locked oscillators coexist with drifting ones. Discovered two years ago, such "chimera states" are believed to be impossible for locally or globally coupled systems; they are peculiar to the intermediate case of nonlocal coupling. Here we present an exact solution for this state, for a ring of phase oscillators coupled by a cosine kernel. We show that the stable chimera state bifurcates from a spatially modulated drift state, and dies in a saddle-node bifurcation with an unstable chimera state.     

The effect of topology on organization of synchronous behavior in dynamical networks with adaptive couplings

We study the influence of the initial topology of connections on the organization of synchronous behavior in networks of phase oscillators with adaptive couplings. We found that networks with a random sparse structure of connections predominantly demonstrate the scenario as a result of which chimera states are formed. The formation of chimera states retains the features of the hierarchical organization observed in networks with global connections [D.V. Kasatkin, S. Yanchuk, E. Schöll, V.I. Nekorkin, Phys. Rev. E 96, 062211 (2017)], and also demonstrates a number of new properties due to the presence of a random structure of network topology. In this case, the formation of coherent groups takes a much longer time interval, and the sets of elements that form these groups can be significantly rearranged during the evolution of the network. We also found chimera states, in which along with the coherent and incoherent groups, there are subsets, whose different elements can be synchronized with each other for sufficiently long periods of time.     

Synchronization patterns and chimera states in complex networks: Interplay of topology and dynamics

We review chimera patterns, which consist of coexisting spatial domains of coherent (synchronized) and incoherent (desynchronized) dynamics in networks of identical oscillators. We focus on chimera states involving amplitude as well as phase dynamics, complex topologies like small-world or hierarchical (fractal), noise, and delay. We show that a plethora of novel chimera patterns arise if one goes beyond the Kuramoto phase oscillator model. For the FitzHugh-Nagumo system, the Van der Pol oscillator, and the Stuart-Landau oscillator with symmetry-breaking coupling various multi-chimera patterns including amplitude chimeras and chimera death occur. To test the robustness of chimera patterns with respect to changes in the structure of the network, regular rings with coupling range R, small-world, and fractal topologies are studied. We also address the robustness of amplitude chimera states in the presence of noise. If delay is added, the lifetime of transient chimeras can be drastically increased.     

Synchronization scenarios of chimeras in multiplex networks

Complex networks consisting of several interacting layers allow for remote synchronization of distant layers via an intermediate relay layer. We extend the notion of relay synchronization to chimera states, and study the scenarios of relay synchronization in a three-layer network of FitzHugh–Nagumo (FHN) oscillators, where each layer has a nonlocal coupling topology. Varying the coupling strength and time delay in the inter-layer connections, we observe relay synchronization between chimera states, i.e., complex spatio-temporal patterns of coexisting coherent and incoherent domains, in the outer network layers. Special regimes where only the coherent domains of chimeras are synchronized, and the incoherent domains remain desynchronized, as well as transitions between different synchronization regimes are analyzed.     

Spectral properties of chimera states

Chimera states are particular trajectories in systems of phase oscillators with nonlocal coupling that display a spatiotemporal pattern of coherent and incoherent motion. We present here a detailed analysis of the spectral properties for such trajectories. First, we study numerically their Lyapunov spectrum and its behavior for an increasing number of oscillators. The spectra demonstrate the hyperchaotic nature of the chimera states and show a correspondence of the Lyapunov dimension with the number of incoherent oscillators. Then, we pass to the thermodynamic limit equation and present an analytic approach to the spectrum of a corresponding linearized evolution operator. We show that, in this setting, the chimera state is neutrally stable and that the continuous spectrum coincides with the limit of the hyperchaotic Lyapunov spectrum obtained for the finite size systems.     

Cloning of Chimera States in a Multiplex Network of Two-Frequency Oscillators with Linear Local Couplings

Cloning of chimera states, which is a new effect caused by the short-term interaction in a multiplex network, has been described. This effect is observed when two ring networks of linearly coupled two-frequency (bistable) oscillators are combined into the multiplex network. At certain values of the strength and duration of the inter-ring (multiplex) interaction, a copy of a chimera state with accuracy to phases in the incoherent part is formed in the ring with an initially random phase distribution. It has been shown that the effect is structurally stable and is due to the competition of self-sustained oscillations in individual rings.     

Multistability of twisted states in non-locally coupled Kuramoto-type models

A ring of N identical phase oscillators with interactions between L-nearest neighbors is considered, where L ranges from 1 (local coupling) to N/2 (global coupling). The coupling function is a simple sinusoid, as in the Kuramoto model, but with a minus sign which has a profound influence on its behavior. Without the limitation of the generality, the frequency of the free-running oscillators can be set to zero. The resulting system is of gradient type, and therefore, all its solutions converge to an equilibrium point. All so-called q-twisted states, where the phase difference between neighboring oscillators on the ring is 2πq/N, are equilibrium points, where q is an integer. Their stability in the limit N → ∞ is discussed along the line of Wiley et al. [Chaos 16, 015103 (2006)] In addition, we prove that when a twisted state is asymptotically stable for the infinite system, it is also asymptotically stable for sufficiently large N. Note that for smaller N, the same q-twisted states may become unstable and other q-twisted states may become stable. Finally, the existence of additional equilibrium states, called here multi-twisted states, is shown by numerical simulation. The phase difference between neighboring oscillators is approximately 2πq/N in one sector of the ring, -2πq/N in another sector, and it has intermediate values between the two sectors. Our numerical investigation suggests that the number of different stable multi-twisted states grows exponentially as N → ∞. It is possible to interpret the equilibrium points of the coupled phase oscillator network as trajectories of a discrete-time translational dynamical system where the space-variable (position on the ring) plays the role of time. The q-twisted states are then fixed points, and the multi-twisted states are periodic solutions of period N that are close to a heteroclinic cycle. Due to the apparently exponentially fast growing number of such stable periodic solutions, the system shows spatial chaos as N → ∞.     

Reconstruction of a random phase dynamics network from observations

We consider networks of coupled phase oscillators of different complexity: Kuramoto–Daido-type networks, generalized Winfree networks, and hypernetworks with triple interactions. For these setups an inverse problem of reconstruction of the network connections and of the coupling function from the observations of the phase dynamics is addressed. We show how a reconstruction based on the minimization of the squared error can be implemented in all these cases. Examples include random networks with full disorder both in the connections and in the coupling functions, as well as networks where the coupling functions are taken from experimental data of electrochemical oscillators. The method can be directly applied to asynchronous dynamics of units, while in the case of synchrony, additional phase resettings are necessary for reconstruction.     

Chimera dynamics in nonlocally coupled moving phase oscillators

Chimera states, a symmetry-breaking spatiotemporal pattern in nonlocally coupled dynamical units, prevail in a variety of systems. However, the interaction structures among oscillators are static in most of studies on chimera state. In this work, we consider a population of agents. Each agent carries a phase oscillator. We assume that agents perform Brownian motions on a ring and interact with each other with a kernel function dependent on the distance between them. When agents are motionless, the model allows for several dynamical states including two different chimera states (the type-I and the type-II chimeras). The movement of agents changes the relative positions among them and produces perpetual noise to impact on the model dynamics. We find that the response of the coupled phase oscillators to the movement of agents depends on both the phase lag α, determining the stabilities of chimera states, and the agent mobility D. For low mobility, the synchronous state transits to the type-I chimera state for α close to π/2 and attracts other initial states otherwise. For intermediate mobility, the coupled oscillators randomly jump among different dynamical states and the jump dynamics depends on α. We investigate the statistical properties in these different dynamical regimes and present the scaling laws between the transient time and the mobility for low mobility and relations between the mean lifetimes of different dynamical states and the mobility for intermediate mobility.     

Synchronization and structure in an adaptive oscillator network

We analyze the interplay of synchronization and structure evolution in an evolving network of phase oscillators. An initially random network is adaptively rewired according to the dynamical coherence of the oscillators, in order to enhance their mutual synchronization. We show that the evolving network reaches a small-world structure. Its clustering coefficient attains a maximum for an intermediate intensity of the coupling between oscillators, where a rich diversity of synchronized oscillator groups is observed. In the stationary state, these synchronized groups are directly associated with network clusters.     

Chimera Structures in the Ensembles of Nonlocally Coupled Chaotic Oscillators

Radiophysics and Quantum Electronics - We study the structure and properties of the chimera states in the ensembles of chaotic oscillators with nonlocal coupling. It is shown that the phase and...     

Evolution of functional subnetworks in complex systems

Links in a realistic network may have different functions, which makes the network virtually a combination of some small-size functional subnetworks. Here, by a model of coupled phase oscillators, we investigate how such functional subnetworks are evolved and developed according to the network structure and dynamics. In particular, we study the case of evolutionary clustered networks in which the function type of each link (attractive or repulsive coupling) is adaptively updated according to the local network dynamics. It is found that during the process of system evolution, the network is gradually stabilized into a particular form in which the attractive (repulsive) subnetwork consists only of the intralinks (interlinks). Based on the observed properties of subnetwork evolution, we also propose a new algorithm for network partition which, compared with the conventional algorithms, is distinguished by its convenient operation and fast computing speed.     

Dynamics of a Ring of Diffusively Coupled Lorenz Oscillators

We study the dynamics of a finite chain of diffusively coupled Lorenz oscillators with periodic boundary conditions. Such rings possess infinitely many fixed states, some of which are observed to be stable. It is shown that there exists a stable fixed state in arbitrarily large rings for a fixed coupling strength. This suggests that coherent behavior in networks of diffusively coupled systems may appear at a coupling strength that is independent of the size of the network.     

Entangled chimeras in nonlocally coupled bicomponent phase oscillators: From synchronous to asynchronous chimeras

Chimera states, a symmetry-breaking spatiotemporal pattern in nonlocally coupled identical dynamical units, have been identified in various systems and generalized to coupled nonidentical oscillators. It has been shown that strong heterogeneity in the frequencies of nonidentical oscillators might be harmful to chimera states. In this work, we consider a ring of nonlocally coupled bicomponent phase oscillators in which two types of oscillators are randomly distributed along the ring: some oscillators with natural frequency ω₁ and others with ω₂ . In this model, the heterogeneity in frequency is measured by frequency mismatch |ω₁−ω₂| between the oscillators in these two subpopulations. We report that the nonlocally coupled bicomponent phase oscillators allow for chimera states no matter how large the frequency mismatch is. The bicomponent oscillators are composed of two chimera states, one supported by oscillators with natural frequency ω₁ and the other by oscillators with natural frequency ω₂. The two chimera states in two subpopulations are synchronized at weak frequency mismatch, in which the coherent oscillators in them share similar mean phase velocity, and are desynchronized at large frequency mismatch, in which the coherent oscillators in different subpopulations have distinct mean phase velocities. The synchronization–desynchronization transition between chimera states in these two subpopulations is observed with the increase in the frequency mismatch. The observed phenomena are theoretically analyzed by passing to the continuum limit and using the Ott-Antonsen approach.     

Chimeras in a network of three oscillator populations with varying network topology

We study a network of three populations of coupled phase oscillators with identical frequencies. The populations interact nonlocally, in the sense that all oscillators are coupled to one another, but more weakly to those in neighboring populations than to those in their own population. Using this system as a model system, we discuss for the first time the influence of network topology on the existence of so-called chimera states. In this context, the network with three populations represents an interesting case because the populations may either be connected as a triangle, or as a chain, thereby representing the simplest discrete network of either a ring or a line segment of oscillator populations. We introduce a special parameter that allows us to study the effect of breaking the triangular network structure, and to vary the network symmetry continuously such that it becomes more and more chain-like. By showing that chimera states only exist for a bounded set of parameter values, we demonstrate that their existence depends strongly on the underlying network structures, and conclude that chimeras exist on networks with a chain-like character.     

Chimera states in bipartite networks of FitzHugh–Nagumo oscillators

Chimera states consisting of spatially coherent and incoherent domains have been observed in different topologies such as rings, spheres, and complex networks. In this paper, we investigate bipartite networks of nonlocally coupled FitzHugh–Nagumo (FHN) oscillators in which the units are allocated evenly to two layers, and FHN units interact with each other only when they are in different layers. We report the existence of chimera states in bipartite networks. Owing to the interplay between chimera states in the two layers, many types of chimera states such as in-phase chimera states, antiphase chimera states, and out-of-phase chimera states are classified. Stability diagrams of several typical chimera states in the coupling strength–coupling radius plane, which show strong multistability of chimera states, are explored.     

Chaotic phase synchronization in a modular neuronal network of small-world subnetworks

We investigate the onset of chaotic phase synchronization of bursting oscillators in a modular neuronal network of small-world subnetworks. A transition to mutual phase synchronization takes place on the bursting time scale of coupled oscillators, while on the spiking time scale, they behave asynchronously. It is shown that this bursting synchronization transition can be induced not only by the variations of inter- and intra-coupling strengths but also by changing the probability of random links between different subnetworks. We also analyze the effect of external chaotic phase synchronization of bursting behavior in this clustered network by an external time-periodic signal applied to a single neuron. Simulation results demonstrate a frequency locking tongue in the driving parameter plane, where bursting synchronization is maintained, even with the external driving. The width of this synchronization region increases with the signal amplitude and the number of driven neurons but decreases rapidly with the network size. Considering that the synchronization of bursting neurons is thought to play a key role in some pathological conditions, the presented results could have important implications for the role of externally applied driving signal in controlling bursting activity in neuronal ensembles.     

Kuramoto model of coupled oscillators with positive and negative coupling parameters: an example of conformist and contrarian oscillators

We consider a generalization of the Kuramoto model in which the oscillators are coupled to the mean field with random signs. Oscillators with positive coupling are "conformists"; they are attracted to the mean field and tend to synchronize with it. Oscillators with negative coupling are "contrarians"; they are repelled by the mean field and prefer a phase diametrically opposed to it. The model is simple and exactly solvable, yet some of its behavior is surprising. Along with the stationary states one might have expected (a desynchronized state, and a partially-synchronized state, with conformists and contrarians locked in antiphase), it also displays a traveling wave, in which the mean field oscillates at a frequency different from the population's mean natural frequency.     

Chimera states in Gaussian coupled map lattices

We study chimera states in one-dimensional and two-dimensional Gaussian coupled map lattices through simulations and experiments. Similar to the case of global coupling oscillators, individual lattices can be regarded as being controlled by a common mean field. A space-dependent order parameter is derived from a self-consistency condition in order to represent the collective state.     

Burst synchronization transitions in a neuronal network of subnetworks

In this paper, the transitions of burst synchronization are explored in a neuronal network consisting of subnetworks. The studied network is composed of electrically coupled bursting Hindmarsh-Rose neurons. Numerical results show that two types of burst synchronization transitions can be induced not only by the variations of intra- and intercoupling strengths but also by changing the probability of random links between different subnetworks and the number of subnetworks. Furthermore, we find that the underlying mechanisms for these two bursting synchronization transitions are different: one is due to the change of spike numbers per burst, while the other is caused by the change of the bursting type. Considering that changes in the coupling strengths and neuronal connections are closely interlaced with brain plasticity, the presented results could have important implications for the role of the brain plasticity in some functional behavior that are associated with synchronization.