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Published on: August 14, 2015
Noise-induced excitability in oscillatory media
E Ullner1, A Zaikin, J García-Ojalvo
1Institut für Physik, Potsdam Universität, Am Neuen Palais 10, D-14469 Potsdam, Germany.
Abstract:
A noise-induced phase transition to excitability is reported in oscillatory media with FitzHugh-Nagumo dynamics. This transition takes place via a noise-induced stabilization of a deterministically unstable fixed point of the local dynamics, while the overall phase-space structure of the system is maintained. Spatial coupling is required to prevent oscillations through suppression of fluctuations (via clustering in the case of local coupling). Thus, the joint action of coupling and noise leads to a different type of phase transition and results in a stabilization of the system. The resulting regime is shown to display characteristic traits of excitable media, such as stochastic resonance and wave propagation. This effect thus allows the transmission of signals through an otherwise globally oscillating medium.
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