Long-period clocks from short-period oscillators

We analyze repulsively coupled Kuramoto oscillators, which are exposed to a distribution of natural frequencies. This source of disorder leads to closed orbits of repetitive temporary patterns of phase-locked motion, providing clocks on macroscopic time scales. The periods can be orders of magnitude longer than the periods of individual oscillators. By construction, the attractor space is quite rich. This may cause long transients until the deterministic trajectories find their stationary orbits. The smaller the width of the distribution about the common natural frequency, the longer are the emerging time scales on average. Among the long-period orbits, we find self-similar sequences of temporary phase-locked motion on different time scales. The ratio of time scales is determined by the ratio of widths of the distributions. The results illustrate a mechanism for how simple systems can provide rather flexible dynamics, with a variety of periods even without external entrainment.