Collective dynamics of delay-coupled limit cycle oscillators

Coupled limit cycle oscillators with instantaneous mutual coupling offer a useful but idealized mathematical paradigm for the study of collective behavior in a wide variety of biological, physical and chemical systems. In most real-life systems however the interaction is not instantaneous but is delayed due to finite propagation times of signals, reaction times of chemicals, individual neuron firing periods in neural networks etc. We present a brief overview of the effect of time-delayed coupling on the collective dynamics of such coupled systems. Simple model equations describing two oscillators with a discrete time-delayed coupling as well as those describing linear arrays of a large number of oscillators with time-delayed global or local couplings are studied. Analytic and numerical results pertaining to time delay induced changes in the onset and stability of amplitude death and phase-locked states are discussed. A number of recent experimental and theoretical studies reveal interesting new directions of research in this field and suggest exciting future areas of exploration and applications.     

Collective dynamics of delay-coupled limit cycle oscillators

Coupled limit cycle oscillators with instantaneous mutual coupling offer a useful but idealized mathematical paradigm for the study of collective behavior in a wide variety of biological, physical and chemical systems. In most real-life systems however the interaction is not instantaneous but is delayed due to finite propagation times of signals, reaction times of chemicals, individual neuron firing periods in neural networks etc. We present a brief overview of the effect of time-delayed coupling on the collective dynamics of such coupled systems. Simple model equations describing two oscillators with a discrete time-delayed coupling as well as those describing linear arrays of a large number of oscillators with time-delayed global or local couplings are studied. Analytic and numerical results pertaining to time delay induced changes in the onset and stability of amplitude death and phase-locked states are discussed. A number of recent experimental and theoretical studies reveal interesting new directions of research in this field and suggest exciting future areas of exploration and applications.     

Synchronization of phase oscillators with heterogeneous coupling: A solvable case

We consider an extension of Kuramoto’s model of coupled phase oscillators where oscillator pairs interact with different strengths. When the coupling coefficient of each pair can be separated into two different factors, each one associated to an oscillator, Kuramoto’s theory for the transition to synchronization can be explicitly generalized, and the effects of coupling heterogeneity on synchronized states can be analytically studied. The two factors are respectively interpreted as the weight of the contribution of each oscillator to the mean field, and the coupling of each oscillator to that field. We explicitly analyze the effects of correlations between those weights and couplings, and show that synchronization can be completely inhibited when they are strongly anti-correlated. Numerical results validate the theory, but suggest that finite-size effect are relevant to the collective dynamics close to the synchronization transition, where oscillators become entrained in synchronized frequency clusters.     

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.     

Analytical calculation of the transition to complete phase synchronization in coupled oscillators

Here we present a system of coupled phase oscillators with nearest neighbors coupling, which we study for different boundary conditions. We concentrate at the transition to the total synchronization. We are able to develop exact solutions for the value of the coupling parameter when the system becomes completely synchronized, for the case of periodic boundary conditions as well as for a chain with fixed ends. We compare the results with those calculated numerically.      

Collective behavior of coupled nonuniform stochastic oscillators

Theoretical studies of synchronization are usually based on models of coupled phase oscillators which, when isolated, have constant angular frequency. Stochastic discrete versions of these uniform oscillators have also appeared in the literature, with equal transition rates among the states. Here we start from the model recently introduced by Wood et al. [K. Wood, C. Van den Broeck, R. Kawai, K. Lindenberg, Universality of synchrony: critical behavior in a discrete model of stochastic phase-coupled oscillators, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 (2006) 145701], which has a collectively synchronized phase, and parametrically modify the phase-coupled oscillators to render them (stochastically) nonuniform. We show that, depending on the nonuniformity parameter 0≤α≤1, a mean field analysis predicts the occurrence of several phase transitions. In particular, the phase with collective oscillations is stable for the complete graph only for α≤α^′<1. At α=1 the oscillators become excitable elements and the system has an absorbing state. In the excitable regime, no collective oscillations were found in the model.     

Desynchronization transitions in nonlinearly coupled phase oscillators

We consider the nonlinear extension of the Kuramoto model of globally coupled phase oscillators where the phase shift in the coupling function depends on the order parameter. A bifurcation analysis of the transition from fully synchronous state to partial synchrony is performed. We demonstrate that for small ensembles it is typically mediated by stable cluster states, that disappear with creation of heteroclinic cycles, while for a larger number of oscillators a direct transition from full synchrony to a periodic or a quasiperiodic regime occurs.     

Frequency down-conversion using cascading arrays of coupled nonlinear oscillators

A novel coupling scheme using M≥2 arrays of coupled nonlinear elements arranged in a specific configuration can produce multifrequency patterns or a frequency down-converting effect on an external (input) signal. In such a configuration, each array contains N≥3 nonlinear elements with similar dynamics and each element is coupled unidirectionally within the array. The subsequent arrays in the cascade are coupled in a similar fashion except that the coupling direction is arranged in the opposite direction with respect to that of the preceding array. Previous theoretical work and numerical results have already been reported in [P. Longhini, A. Palacios, V. In, J. Neff, A. Kho, A. Bulsara, Exploiting dynamical symmetry in coupled nonlinear elements for efficient frequency down-conversion, Phys. Rev. E 76 (2007) 026201]. This paper is focused on results of experiments implemented on two distinct systems: the first system is fabricated using discrete component circuits to approximate an overdamped bistable Duffing oscillator described by a quartic potential system, and the second system is built in a microcircuit, where the nonlinearity is described by a hyperbolic tangent function, with the option of applying an external signal to investigate resonant effects. In particular, the circuit implementations for each case use M=2 arrays, but their voltage oscillations already demonstrate that the frequency relations between each of the successive arrays decrease by a rational factor, conforming to earlier theoretical and numerical results for the general case containing M arrays. This behavior is important for efficient frequency down-converting applications which are essential in many communication systems where heterodyning is typically used and it involves multi-step processes with complicated circuitry.     

Coupled van der Pol-Duffing oscillators: Phase dynamics and structure of synchronization tongues

Synchronization in the system of coupled non-identical non-isochronous van der Pol-Duffing oscillators with inertial and dissipative coupling is discussed. Generalized Adler’s equation is obtained and investigated in the presence of all relevant factors affecting the synchronization (non-isochronism of the oscillators, their non-identity, coupling of the dissipative and inertial types). Characteristic symmetries are revealed for the Adler’s equation responsible for equivalence of some of the factors. Numerical study of the parameters space of the initial differential equations is carried out using the method of charts of dynamic regimes in the parameter planes. Results obtained by both these approaches are compared and discussed.     

Hyperbolic chaos in a system of resonantly coupled weakly nonlinear oscillators

We show that a hyperbolic chaos can be observed in resonantly coupled oscillators near a Hopf bifurcation, described by normal-form-type equations for complex amplitudes. The simplest example consists of four oscillators, comprising two alternatively activated, due to an external periodic modulation, pairs. In terms of the stroboscopic Poincaré map, the phase differences change according to an expanding Bernoulli map that depends on the coupling type. Several examples of hyperbolic chaos for different types of coupling are illustrated numerically.     

Tolerance of start-up control of rotation in parametric pendulum by delayed feedback

In this Letter, we propose a control method for establishing periodic rotation inherent in parametric pendulum based on a delayed feedback control. The experiments elucidate the existing range of periodic rotation in the domain of delay. The range of existence possibly represents the tolerance of proposed control with mistuned delay. It is confirmed that forced synchronization governs the existence and the width. The result assures that the frequency synchronization characteristics overcome the mistuned difference of delay in the control through entrainment.     

Bifurcation to heteroclinic cycles and sensitivity in three and four coupled phase oscillators

We study the bifurcation and dynamical behaviour of the system of N globally coupled identical phase oscillators introduced by Hansel, Mato and Meunier, in the cases N=3 and N=4. This model has been found to exhibit robust ‘slow switching’ oscillations that are caused by the presence of robust heteroclinic attractors. This paper presents a bifurcation analysis of the system in an attempt to better understand the creation of such attractors. We consider bifurcations that occur in a system of identical oscillators on varying the parameters in the coupling function. These bifurcations preserve the permutation symmetry of the system. We then investigate the implications of these bifurcations for the sensitivity to detuning (i.e. the size of the smallest perturbations that give rise to loss of frequency locking).For N=3 we find three types of heteroclinic bifurcation that are codimension-one with symmetry. On varying two parameters in the coupling function we find three curves giving (a) an S₃-transcritical homoclinic bifurcation, (b) a saddle-node/heteroclinic bifurcation and (c) a Z₃-heteroclinic bifurcation. We also identify several global bifurcations with symmetry that organize the bifurcation diagram; these are codimension-two with symmetry.For N=4 oscillators we determine many (but not all) codimension-one bifurcations with symmetry, including those that lead to a robust heteroclinic cycle. A robust heteroclinic cycle is stable in an open region of parameter space and unstable in another open region. Furthermore, we verify that there is a subregion where the heteroclinic cycle is the only attractor of the system, while for other parts of the phase plane it can coexist with stable limit cycles. We finish with a discussion of bifurcations that appear for this coupling function and general N, as well as for more general coupling functions.     

Collective dynamics of two-dimensional coupled Brownian motors

The transport properties of coupled Brownian particles in a two-dimensional rocking ratchet are investigated via Langevin simulation. The results show that the average center-of-mass velocity is multi-peaks function of the frequency of the driving force. Furthermore, in the 2D coupled Brownian motor system there are the collective effect and ratchet behavior, which can switch depending on the frequency of driving force. It turns out that the cooperative effect between the interaction of coupled particles and external rocking driving force facilitates collective directional motion and energy conversion.     

A class of solvable coupled nonlinear oscillators with amplitude independent frequencies

Existence of amplitude independent frequencies of oscillation is an unusual property for a nonlinear oscillator. We find that a class of N coupled nonlinear Liénard type oscillators exhibit this interesting property. We show that a specific subset can be explicitly solved from which we demonstrate the existence of periodic and quasiperiodic solutions. Another set of N coupled nonlinear oscillators, possessing the amplitude independent nature of frequencies, is almost integrable in the sense that the system can be reduced to a single nonautonomous first order scalar differential equation which can be easily integrated numerically.     

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.     

Power delivered by an array of Van der Pol oscillators coupled to a resonant cavity

An array of Van der Pol oscillators coupled to an RLC load is considered both theoretically and experimentally. It is found that the oscillators are active when the capacitance of the capacitor coupling the array to the load is below a critical value increasing with the number of oscillators. The power delivered to the load by the array of active oscillators increases with the number of oscillators till a limiting value increasing with the quality factor of the load. Good agreement is obtained between the theoretical and experimental results.     

Complex dynamics analysis of impulsively coupled Duffing oscillators with ring structure

Impulsively coupled systems are high-dimensional non-smooth systems that can exhibit rich and complex dynamics.This paper studies the complex dynamics of a non-smooth system which is unidirectionally impulsively coupled by three Duffing oscillators in a ring structure.By constructing a proper Poincare map of the non-smooth system,an analytical expression of the Jacobian matrix of Poincare map is given.Two-parameter Hopf bifurcation sets are obtained by combining the shooting method and the Runge-Kutta method.When the period is fixed and the coupling strength changes,the system undergoes stable,periodic,quasi-periodic,and hyper-chaotic solutions,etc.Floquet theory is used to study the stability of the periodic solutions of the system and their bifurcations.     

Asymptotic analysis of the dynamics of a system of two coupled self-excited oscillators with delayed feedback

Yaroslavl State University. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 33, No. 3, pp. 308–314, March, 1990.     

Properties of synchronization in the systems of non-identical coupled van der Pol and van der Pol-Duffing oscillators. Broadband synchronization

The particular properties of dynamics are discussed for dissipatively coupled van der Pol oscillators, non-identical in values of parameters controlling the Hopf bifurcation. Possibility of a special synchronization regime in an infinitively long band between oscillator death and quasiperiodic areas is shown for such system. Features of the bifurcation picture are discussed for different values of the control parameters and for the case of additional Duffing-type nonlinearity. Analysis of the slow-flow equations is presented.     

Collective stochastic resonance behaviors of two coupled harmonic oscillators driven by dichotomous fluctuating frequency

The collective behaviors of two coupled harmonic oscillators with dichotomous fluctuating frequency are investigated,including stability, synchronization, and stochastic resonance(SR). First, the synchronization condition of the system is obtained. When this condition is satisfied, the mean-field behavior is consistent with any single particle behavior in the system. On this basis, the stability condition and the exact steady-state solution of the system are derived. Comparative analysis shows that, the stability condition is stronger than the synchronization condition, that is to say, when the stability condition is satisfied, the system is both synchronous and stable. Simulation analysis indicates that increasing the coupling strength will reduce the synchronization time. In weak coupling region, there is an optimal coupling strength that maximizes the output amplitude gain(OAG), thus the coupling-induced SR behavior occurs. In strong coupling region, the two particles are bounded as a whole, so that the coupling effect gradually disappears.