Activity patterns in ring networks of quadratic integrate-and-fire neurons with synaptic and gap junction coupling.

We consider a ring network of quadratic integrate-and-fire neurons with nonlocal synaptic and gap junction coupling. The corresponding neural field model supports solutions such as standing and traveling waves, and also lurching waves. We show that many of these solutions satisfy self-consistency equations which can be used to follow them as parameters are varied.

Phase reduction explains chimera shape: When multibody interaction matters.

We present an extension of the Kuramoto-Sakaguchi model for networks, deriving the second-order phase approximation for a paradigmatic model of oscillatory networks-an ensemble of nonidentical Stuart-Landau oscillators coupled pairwisely via an arbitrary coupling matrix. We explicitly demonstrate how this matrix translates into the coupling structure in the phase equations. To illustrate the power of our approach and the crucial importance of high-order phase reduction, we tackle a trendy setup of nonlocally coupled oscillators exhibiting a chimera state.

Transient chimera states emerging from dynamical trapping in chaotic saddles.

Nonlinear systems possessing nonattracting chaotic sets, such as chaotic saddles, embedded in their state space may oscillate chaotically for a transient time before eventually transitioning into some stable attractor. We show that these systems, when networked with nonlocal coupling in a ring, are capable of forming chimera states, in which one subset of the units oscillates periodically in a synchronized state forming the coherent domain, while the complementary subset oscillates chaotically in the neighborhood of the chaotic saddle constituting the incoherent domain. We find two distinct transient chimera states distinguished by their abrupt or gradual termination.

Periodic solutions in next generation neural field models.

We consider a next generation neural field model which describes the dynamics of a network of theta neurons on a ring. For some parameters the network supports stable time-periodic solutions. Using the fact that the dynamics at each spatial location are described by a complex-valued Riccati equation we derive a self-consistency equation that such periodic solutions must satisfy.

Collective states in a ring network of theta neurons.

We consider a ring network of theta neurons with non-local homogeneous coupling. We analyse the corresponding continuum evolution equation, analytically describing all possible steady states and their stability. By considering a number of different parameter sets, we determine the typical bifurcation scenarios of the network, and put on a rigorous footing some previously observed numerical results.

Bumps, chimera states, and Turing patterns in systems of coupled active rotators.

Self-organized coherence-incoherence patterns, called chimera states, have first been reported in systems of Kuramoto oscillators. For coupled excitable units, similar patterns where coherent units are at rest are called bump states. Here, we study bumps in an array of active rotators coupled by nonlocal attraction and global repulsion.

Moving spiral wave chimeras.

We consider a two-dimensional array of heterogeneous nonlocally coupled phase oscillators on a flat torus and study the bound states of two counter-rotating spiral chimeras, shortly two-core spiral chimeras, observed in this system. In contrast to other known spiral chimeras with motionless incoherent cores, the two-core spiral chimeras typically show a drift motion. Due to this drift, their incoherent cores become spatially modulated and develop specific fingerprint patterns of varying synchrony levels.

Asymmetry-induced isolated fully synchronized state in coupled oscillator populations.

A symmetry-breaking mechanism is investigated that creates bistability between fully and partially synchronized states in oscillator networks. Two populations of oscillators with unimodal frequency distribution and different amplitudes, in the presence of weak global coupling, are shown to simplify to a modular network with asymmetrical coupling. With increasing the coupling strength, a synchronization transition is observed with an isolated fully synchronized state.

Nonstationary coherence-incoherence patterns in nonlocally coupled heterogeneous phase oscillators.

We consider a large ring of nonlocally coupled phase oscillators and show that apart from stationary chimera states, this system also supports nonstationary coherence-incoherence patterns (CIPs). For identical oscillators, these CIPs behave as breathing chimera states and are found in a relatively small parameter region only. It turns out that the stability region of these states enlarges dramatically if a certain amount of spatially uniform heterogeneity (e.

Moving bumps in theta neuron networks.

We consider large networks of theta neurons on a ring, synaptically coupled with an asymmetric kernel. Such networks support stable "bumps" of activity, which move along the ring if the coupling kernel is asymmetric. We investigate the effects of the kernel asymmetry on the existence, stability, and speed of these moving bumps using continuum equations formally describing infinite networks.

Phase-sensitive excitability of a limit cycle.

The classical notion of excitability refers to an equilibrium state that shows under the influence of perturbations a nonlinear threshold-like behavior. Here, we extend this concept by demonstrating how periodic orbits can exhibit a specific form of excitable behavior where the nonlinear threshold-like response appears only after perturbations applied within a certain part of the periodic orbit, i.e.

Universal relations of local order parameters for partially synchronized oscillators.

Interactions among discrete oscillatory units (e.g., cells) can result in partially synchronized states when some of the units exhibit phase locking and others phase slipping.

Optimal design of tweezer control for chimera states.

Chimera states are complex spatio-temporal patterns which consist of coexisting domains of spatially coherent and incoherent dynamics in systems of coupled oscillators. In small networks, chimera states usually exhibit short lifetimes and erratic drifting of the spatial position of the incoherent domain. A tweezer feedback control scheme can stabilize and fix the position of chimera states.

Is there an impact of small phase lags in the Kuramoto model?

We discuss the influence of small phase lags on the synchronization transitions in the Kuramoto model for a large inhomogeneous population of globally coupled phase oscillators. Without a phase lag, all unimodal distributions of the natural frequencies give rise to a classical synchronization scenario, where above the onset of synchrony at the Kuramoto threshold, there is an increasing synchrony for increasing coupling strength. We show that already for arbitrarily small phase lags, there are certain unimodal distributions of natural frequencies such that for increasing coupling strength synchrony may decrease and even complete incoherence may regain stability.

Tweezers for Chimeras in Small Networks.

We propose a control scheme which can stabilize and fix the position of chimera states in small networks. Chimeras consist of coexisting domains of spatially coherent and incoherent dynamics in systems of nonlocally coupled identical oscillators. Chimera states are generally difficult to observe in small networks due to their short lifetime and erratic drifting of the spatial position of the incoherent domain.

Regular and irregular patterns of self-localized excitation in arrays of coupled phase oscillators.

We study a system of phase oscillators with nonlocal coupling in a ring that supports self-organized patterns of coherence and incoherence, called chimera states. Introducing a global feedback loop, connecting the phase lag to the order parameter, we can observe chimera states also for systems with a small number of oscillators. Numerical simulations show a huge variety of regular and irregular patterns composed of localized phase slipping events of single oscillators.

Partially coherent twisted states in arrays of coupled phase oscillators.

We consider a one-dimensional array of phase oscillators with non-local coupling and a Lorentzian distribution of natural frequencies. The primary objects of interest are partially coherent states that are uniformly "twisted" in space. To analyze these, we take the continuum limit, perform an Ott/Antonsen reduction, integrate over the natural frequencies, and study the resulting spatio-temporal system on an unbounded domain.

Controlling unstable chaos: stabilizing chimera states by feedback.

We present a control scheme that is able to find and stabilize an unstable chaotic regime in a system with a large number of interacting particles. This allows us to track a high dimensional chaotic attractor through a bifurcation where it loses its attractivity. Similar to classical delayed feedback control, the scheme is noninvasive, however only in an appropriately relaxed sense considering the chaotic regime as a statistical equilibrium displaying random fluctuations as a finite size effect.

When nonlocal coupling between oscillators becomes stronger: patched synchrony or multichimera states.

Systems of nonlocally coupled oscillators can exhibit complex spatiotemporal patterns, called chimera states, which consist of coexisting domains of spatially coherent (synchronized) and incoherent dynamics. We report on a novel form of these states, found in a widely used model of a limit-cycle oscillator if one goes beyond the limit of weak coupling typical for phase oscillators. Then patches of synchronized dynamics appear within the incoherent domain giving rise to a multi-chimera state.

Nonuniversal transitions to synchrony in the Sakaguchi-Kuramoto model.

We investigate the transition to synchrony in a system of phase oscillators that are globally coupled with a phase lag (Sakaguchi-Kuramoto model). We show that for certain unimodal frequency distributions there appear unusual types of synchronization transitions, where synchrony can decay with increasing coupling, incoherence can regain stability for increasing coupling, or multistability between partially synchronized states and/or the incoherent state can appear. Our method is a bifurcation analysis based on a frequency dependent version of the Ott-Antonsen method and allows for a universal description of possible synchronization transition scenarios for any given distribution of natural frequencies.

Chimera states are chaotic transients.

Spatiotemporal chaos and turbulence are universal concepts for the explanation of irregular behavior in various physical systems. Recently, a remarkable new phenomenon, called "chimera states," has been described, where in a spatially homogeneous system, regions of irregular incoherent motion coexist with regular synchronized motion, forming a self-organized pattern in a population of nonlocally coupled oscillators. Whereas most previous studies of chimera states focused their attention on the case of large numbers of oscillators employing the thermodynamic limit of infinitely many oscillators, here we investigate the properties of chimera states in populations of finite size using concepts from deterministic chaos.

Chimera states induced by spatially modulated delayed feedback.

Recently, we have presented spatially modulated delayed feedback as a novel mechanism, which generically generates chimera states, remarkable spatiotemporal patterns in which coherence coexists with incoherence [O. E. Omel'chenko, Phys.

Chimera states as chaotic spatiotemporal patterns.

Chimera states are a recently new discovered dynamical phenomenon that appears in arrays of nonlocally coupled oscillators and displays a spatial pattern of coherent and incoherent regions. We report here an additional feature of this dynamical regime: an irregular motion of the position of the coherent and incoherent regions, i.e.

Chimera states: the natural link between coherence and incoherence.

Chimera states are remarkable spatiotemporal patterns in which coherence coexists with incoherence. As yet, chimera states have been considered as nongeneric, since they emerge only for particular initial conditions. In contrast, we show here that in a network of globally coupled oscillators delayed feedback stimulation with realistic (i.