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Chimera States in Continuous Media: Existence and Distinctness
Zachary G Nicolaou1, Hermann Riecke2,3, Adilson E Motter1,3
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|December 30, 2017
Summary
Chimera states, characterized by coexisting order and disorder, are shown to exist in continuous media, not just oscillator networks. This discovery reveals new possibilities for understanding complex fluid systems.
Area of Science:
- Nonlinear dynamics
- Complex systems science
- Fluid dynamics
Background:
- Chimera states exhibit coexisting coherent and incoherent dynamics in spatially homogeneous systems.
- Their presence in oscillator networks is established, prompting investigation into continuous media.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the existence and characteristics of chimera states in continuous media.
- To explore if analogous phenomena occur in systems with local coupling, like fluid media.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation as a model system.
- Analyzed chimera states comprising coherent spiral structures and incoherent turbulent domains.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated the existence of chimera states in continuous systems with strictly local coupling.
- Identified fluctuations in local coupling as critical in defining coherent region boundaries.
- Characterized chimera states by a frozen spiral structure alongside amplitude turbulence.
Conclusions:
- Chimera states can manifest in continuous media, extending beyond discrete networks.
- Local coupling fluctuations are key to the formation and limitation of coherent domains in these systems.
- Findings suggest novel forms of order and disorder coexistence in fluid dynamics.
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