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Chimera states: the natural link between coherence and incoherence
Oleh E Omel'chenko1, Yuri L Maistrenko, Peter A Tass
1Institute of Neuroscience and Biophysics 3-Medicine, Research Center Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany.
Physical Review Letters
|March 21, 2008
Summary
Chimera states, where coherence and incoherence coexist, are shown to emerge generically in networks of coupled oscillators with delayed feedback. This finding reveals chimera states as a natural link between coherent and incoherent dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Complex Systems
- Nonlinear Dynamics
- Network Science
Background:
- Chimera states are complex spatiotemporal patterns characterized by the coexistence of coherent and incoherent dynamics within a network of coupled oscillators.
- Previously, chimera states were considered nongeneric, requiring specific initial conditions for their emergence.
- Understanding the conditions for generic chimera state formation is crucial for advancing network dynamics research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the conditions under which chimera states can emerge generically in networks of globally coupled oscillators.
- To explore the role of delayed feedback stimulation with realistic, spatially decaying profiles in inducing chimera states.
- To analyze the relationship between chimera states and the transitions between coherent and incoherent dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing numerical simulations of globally coupled oscillator networks.
- Implementing delayed feedback stimulation with spatially decaying profiles.
- Performing bifurcation analysis to study the transitions between different dynamical states.
Main Results:
- Delayed feedback stimulation with realistic, spatially decaying profiles generically induces chimera states in globally coupled oscillator networks.
- Chimera states were observed to emerge without requiring fine-tuned initial conditions.
- Bifurcation analysis demonstrated that these induced chimera states serve as a natural bridge connecting fully coherent and fully incoherent states.
Conclusions:
- Chimera states are not necessarily nongeneric and can be robustly induced by realistic delayed feedback mechanisms.
- The findings challenge the previous understanding of chimera states as rare phenomena.
- This work establishes a new perspective on chimera states as fundamental transitional dynamics in complex networks.
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