Spiral wave chimeras in complex oscillatory and chaotic systems.

Area of Science:

• Complex Systems
• Nonlinear Dynamics
• Synchronization Phenomena

Background:

• Chimera states, characterized by coexisting synchronized and unsynchronized regions, have been primarily observed in simple oscillatory systems.
• The existence and dynamics of spiral wave chimeras in more complex and locally chaotic systems remain largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the existence of spiral wave chimeras in complex oscillatory and locally chaotic systems under nonlocal coupling.
• To generalize the concept of chimera states to systems beyond simple oscillations.
• To investigate the unique characteristics and dynamics of these spiral wave chimeras.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing concepts from phase synchronization theory.
• Analyzing spiral wave dynamics in homogeneous systems with nonlocal coupling.
• Identifying and characterizing synchronization defect lines (SDLs).

Main Results:

• Spiral wave chimeras were successfully demonstrated in complex oscillatory and locally chaotic homogeneous systems.
• The unsynchronized cores of these spiral waves exhibit a distribution of different frequencies, extending the definition of chimera states.
• Synchronization defect lines (SDLs) were identified as a key characteristic, with dynamics distinct from the bulk behavior.

Conclusions:

• Spiral wave chimeras are not limited to simple oscillatory systems and can emerge in complex and chaotic environments.
• The presence and distinct nature of SDLs in these systems offer new insights into wave dynamics and synchronization phenomena.
• This work generalizes chimera states and reveals novel dynamics in complex oscillatory and chaotic systems.