Experimental investigation of high-quality synchronization of coupled oscillators

We describe two experiments in which we investigate the synchronization of coupled periodic oscillators. Each experimental system consists of two identical coupled electronic periodic oscillators that display bursts of desynchronization events similar to those observed previously in coupled chaotic systems. We measure the degree of synchronization as a function of coupling strength. In the first experiment, high-quality synchronization is achieved for all coupling strengths above a critical value. In the second experiment, no high-quality synchronization is observed. We compare our results to the predictions of the several proposed criteria for synchronization. We find that none of the criteria accurately predict the range of coupling strengths over which high-quality synchronization is observed. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics.