Clusters and switchers in globally coupled photochemical oscillators.
We experimentally investigate the transition to synchronization in a population of photochemical oscillators with weak global coupling. Above a critical coupling strength the oscillators join a one-phase group or two-phase clusters. The number of oscillators in each cluster depends on the initial phase distribution, and irregular switching of oscillators between clusters is observed. The fully synchronized state emerges above a second critical coupling strength. In agreement with earlier theory, the experiments demonstrate the importance of population heterogeneity in cluster multistability.
School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom. A.F.Taylor@leeds.ac.uk
Annette F
AF
Taylor
Panagiotis
P
Kapetanopoulos
Benjamin J
BJ
Whitaker
Rita
R
Toth
Larry
L
Bull
Mark R
MR
Tinsley