Oscillators that sync and swarm
Author: Kevin P O'Keeffe1, Hyunsuk Hong2, Steven H Strogatz3
Affiliation:
1 Center for Applied Mathematics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
2 Department of Physics and Research Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, 561-756, Korea.
3 Center for Applied Mathematics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA. strogatz@cornell.edu.
Conference/Journal: Nat Commun
Date published: 2017 Nov 15
Other:
Volume ID: 8 , Issue ID: 1 , Pages: 1504 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-01190-3. , Word Count: 152
Synchronization occurs in many natural and technological systems, from cardiac pacemaker cells to coupled lasers. In the synchronized state, the individual cells or lasers coordinate the timing of their oscillations, but they do not move through space. A complementary form of self-organization occurs among swarming insects, flocking birds, or schooling fish; now the individuals move through space, but without conspicuously altering their internal states. Here we explore systems in which both synchronization and swarming occur together. Specifically, we consider oscillators whose phase dynamics and spatial dynamics are coupled. We call them swarmalators, to highlight their dual character. A case study of a generalized Kuramoto model predicts five collective states as possible long-term modes of organization. These states may be observable in groups of sperm, Japanese tree frogs, colloidal suspensions of magnetic particles, and other biological and physical systems in which self-assembly and synchronization interact.
PMID: 29138413 PMCID: PMC5686229 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01190-3
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