Anti-aligning interaction between active particles induces a finite wavelength instability: The dancing hexagons.

By considering a simple model for self-propelled particle interaction, we show that anti-aligning forces induce a finite wavelength instability. Consequently, the system exhibits pattern formation. The formed pattern involves, let us say, a choreographic movement of the active entities. At the level of particle density, the system oscillates between a stripe pattern and a hexagonal one. The underlying dynamics of these density oscillations consists of two counterpropagating and purely hexagonal traveling waves. They are assembling and disassembling a global hexagonal structure and a striped lineup of particles. This self-assembling process becomes quite erratic for long-time simulations, seeming aperiodic.

Solitonic-like interactions of counter-propagating clusters of active particles.

This report considers a set of interacting self-propelled particles immersed in a viscous and noisy environment. The explored particle interaction does not distinguish between alignments and anti-alignments of the self-propulsion forces. More specifically, we considered a set of self-propelled apolar aligning attractive particles. Consequently, there is no genuine flocking transition because the system has no global velocity polarization. Instead, another self-organized motion emerges, where the system forms two counter-propagating flocks. This tendency leads to the formation of two counter-propagating clusters for short-range interaction. Depending on the parameters, these clusters interact, exhibiting two of the four classical behaviors of counter-propagating dissipative solitons (which does not imply that a single cluster must be recognized as a soliton). They interpenetrate and continue their movement after colliding or forming a bound state where the clusters remain together. This phenomenon is analyzed using two mean-field strategies: an all-to-all interaction that predicts the formation of the two counter-propagating flocks and a noiseless approximation for cluster-to-cluster interaction, which explains the solitonic-like behaviors. Furthermore, the last approach shows that the bound states are metastables. Both approaches agree with direct numerical simulations of the active-particle ensemble.

Self-organized spiral patterns at the edge of an order-disorder nonequilibrium phase transition.

We present a spatially extended version of the Wood-Van den Broeck-Kawai-Lindenberg stochastic phase-coupled oscillator model. Our model is embedded in two-dimensional (2d) array with a range-dependent interaction. The Wood-Van den Broeck-Kawai-Lindenberg model is known to present a phase transition from a disordered state to a globally oscillatory phase in which the majority of the units are in the same discrete phase. Here we address a parameter combination in which such global oscillations are not present. We explore the role of the interaction range from a nearest neighbor coupling in which a disordered phase is observed and the global coupling in which the population concentrate in a single phase. We find that for intermediate interaction range the system presents spiral wave patterns that are strongly influenced by the initial conditions and can spontaneously emerge from the stochastic nature of the model. Our results present a spatial oscillatory pattern not observed previously in the Wood-Van den Broeck-Kawai-Lindenberg model and are corroborated by a spatially extended mean-field calculation.

Flocking transition within the framework of Kuramoto paradigm for synchronization: Clustering and the role of the range of interaction.

A Kuramoto-type approach to address flocking phenomena is presented. First, we analyze a simple generalization of the Kuramoto model for interacting active particles, which is able to show the flocking transition (the emergence of coordinated movements in a group of interacting self-propelled agents). In the case of all-to-all interaction, the proposed model reduces to the Kuramoto model for phase synchronization of identical motionless noisy oscillators. In general, the nature of this non-equilibrium phase transition depends on the range of interaction between the particles. Namely, for a small range of interaction, the transition is first order, while for a larger range of interaction, it is a second order transition. Moreover, for larger interaction ranges, the system exhibits the same features as in the case of all-to-all interaction, showing a spatially homogeneous flux when flocking phenomenon has emerged, while for lower interaction ranges, the flocking transition is characterized by cluster formation. We compute the phase diagram of the model, where we distinguish three phases as a function of the range of interaction and the effective coupling strength: a disordered phase, a spatially homogeneous flocking phase, and a cluster-flocking phase. Then, we present a general discussion about the applicability of this way of modeling to more realistic and general situations, ending with a brief presentation of a second example (a second model with a conservative interaction) where the flocking transition may be studied within the framework that we are proposing.

Synchronization and fluctuations: Coupling a finite number of stochastic units.

It is well established that ensembles of globally coupled stochastic oscillators may exhibit a nonequilibrium phase transition to synchronization in the thermodynamic limit (infinite number of elements). In fact, since the early work of Kuramoto, mean-field theory has been used to analyze this transition. In contrast, work that directly deals with finite arrays is relatively scarce in the context of synchronization. And yet it is worth noting that finite-number effects should be seriously taken into account since, in general, the limits N→∞ (where N is the number of units) and t→∞ (where t is time) do not commute. Mean-field theory implements the particular choice first N→∞ and then t→∞. Here we analyze an ensemble of three-state coupled stochastic units, which has been widely studied in the thermodynamic limit. We formally address the finite-N problem by deducing a Fokker-Planck equation that describes the system. We compute the steady-state solution of this Fokker-Planck equation (that is, finite N but t→∞). We use this steady state to analyze the synchronic properties of the system in the framework of the different order parameters that have been proposed in the literature to study nonequilibrium transitions.

A continuous-time persistent random walk model for flocking.

A classical random walker is characterized by a random position and velocity. This sort of random walk was originally proposed by Einstein to model Brownian motion and to demonstrate the existence of atoms and molecules. Such a walker represents an inanimate particle driven by environmental fluctuations. On the other hand, there are many examples of so-called "persistent random walkers," including self-propelled particles that are able to move with almost constant speed while randomly changing their direction of motion. Examples include living entities (ranging from flagellated unicellular organisms to complex animals such as birds and fish), as well as synthetic materials. Here we discuss such persistent non-interacting random walkers as a model for active particles. We also present a model that includes interactions among particles, leading to a transition to flocking, that is, to a net flux where the majority of the particles move in the same direction. Moreover, the model exhibits secondary transitions that lead to clustering and more complex spatially structured states of flocking. We analyze all these transitions in terms of bifurcations using a number of mean field strategies (all to all interaction and advection-reaction equations for the spatially structured states), and compare these results with direct numerical simulations of ensembles of these interacting active particles.

Arrays of two-state stochastic oscillators: Roles of tail and range of interactions.

We study the role of the tail and the range of interaction in a spatially structured population of two-state on-off units governed by Markovian transition rates. The coupling among the oscillators is evidenced by the dependence of the transition rates of each unit on the states of the units to which it is coupled. Tuning the tail or range of the interactions, we observe a transition from an ordered global state (long-range interactions) to a disordered one (short-range interactions). Depending on the interaction kernel, the transition may be smooth (second order) or abrupt (first order). We analyze the transient, which may present different routes to the steady state with vastly different time scales.

Synchronization of coupled noisy oscillators: Coarse graining from continuous to discrete phases.

The theoretical description of synchronization phenomena often relies on coupled units of continuous time noisy Markov chains with a small number of states in each unit. It is frequently assumed, either explicitly or implicitly, that coupled discrete-state noisy Markov units can be used to model mathematically more complex coupled noisy continuous phase oscillators. In this work we explore conditions that justify this assumption by coarse graining continuous phase units. In particular, we determine the minimum number of states necessary to justify this correspondence for Kuramoto-like oscillators.

Arrays of stochastic oscillators: Nonlocal coupling, clustering, and wave formation.

We consider an array of units each of which can be in one of three states. Unidirectional transitions between these states are governed by Markovian rate processes. The interactions between units occur through a dependence of the transition rates of a unit on the states of the units with which it interacts. This coupling is nonlocal, that is, it is neither an all-to-all interaction (referred to as global coupling), nor is it a nearest neighbor interaction (referred to as local coupling). The coupling is chosen so as to disfavor the crowding of interacting units in the same state. As a result, there is no global synchronization. Instead, the resultant spatiotemporal configuration is one of clusters that move at a constant speed and that can be interpreted as traveling waves. We develop a mean field theory to describe the cluster formation and analyze this model analytically. The predictions of the model are compared favorably with the results obtained by direct numerical simulations.

Globally coupled stochastic two-state oscillators: fluctuations due to finite numbers.

Infinite arrays of coupled two-state stochastic oscillators exhibit well-defined steady states. We study the fluctuations that occur when the number N of oscillators in the array is finite. We choose a particular form of global coupling that in the infinite array leads to a pitchfork bifurcation from a monostable to a bistable steady state, the latter with two equally probable stationary states. The control parameter for this bifurcation is the coupling strength. In finite arrays these states become metastable: The fluctuations lead to distributions around the most probable states, with one maximum in the monostable regime and two maxima in the bistable regime. In the latter regime, the fluctuations lead to transitions between the two peak regions of the distribution. Also, we find that the fluctuations break the symmetry in the bimodal regime, that is, one metastable state becomes more probable than the other, increasingly so with increasing array size. To arrive at these results, we start from microscopic dynamical evolution equations from which we derive a Langevin equation that exhibits an interesting multiplicative noise structure. We also present a master equation description of the dynamics. Both of these equations lead to the same Fokker-Planck equation, the master equation via a 1/N expansion and the Langevin equation via standard methods of Itô calculus for multiplicative noise. From the Fokker-Planck equation we obtain an effective potential that reflects the transition from the monomodal to the bimodal distribution as a function of a control parameter. We present a variety of numerical and analytic results that illustrate the strong effects of the fluctuations. We also show that the limits N → ∞ and t → ∞ (t is the time) do not commute. In fact, the two orders of implementation lead to drastically different results.

Pattern formation via intermittence from microscopic deterministic dynamics.

We propose a one-dimensional lattice model, inspired by population dynamics interaction. The model combines a variable coupling range with the Allee effect. The system is capable of exhibiting pattern formation that is similar to what occurs in similar continuous models for population dynamics. However, the formation features are quite different; in this case the pattern emerges from a disorder state via intermittence. We analytically estimated the selected wavelength of the formed pattern and numerically studied fluctuations around the mean wavelength. We also comment on the relationship between intermittence and the edge of chaos as well as sensitivity to initial conditions. Next, we present an analytical prediction of the influence of the world size on the intermittent regime which is in good agreement with the numerical observations. Moreover, the last calculation provided us an alternative way to compute the pattern wavelength. Finally, we discuss the continuous limit of our lattice model.

Synchronization of globally coupled two-state stochastic oscillators with a state-dependent refractory period.

We present a model of identical coupled two-state stochastic units, each of which in isolation is governed by a fixed refractory period. The nonlinear coupling between units directly affects the refractory period, which now depends on the global state of the system and can therefore itself become time dependent. At weak coupling the array settles into a quiescent stationary state. Increasing coupling strength leads to a saddle node bifurcation, beyond which the quiescent state coexists with a stable limit cycle of nonlinear coherent oscillations. We explicitly determine the critical coupling constant for this transition.

Moving breathing pulses in the one-dimensional complex cubic-quintic Ginzburg-Landau equation.

We show and characterize numerically moving breathing pulses in the one-dimensional complex cubic-quintic Ginzburg-Landau equation. This class of stable moving breathing pulses has not been described before for this prototype envelope equation as it arises near the weakly hysteretic onset of traveling waves.

Transition from pulses to fronts in the cubic-quintic complex Ginzburg-Landau equation.

The cubic-quintic complex Ginzburg-Landau is the amplitude equation for systems in the vicinity of an oscillatory sub-critical bifurcation (Andronov-Hopf), and it shows different localized structures. For pulse-type localized structures, we review an approximation scheme that enables us to compute some properties of the structures, like their existence range. From that scheme, we obtain conditions for the existence of pulses in the upper limit of a control parameter. When we study the width of pulses in that limit, the analytical expression shows that it is related to the transition between pulses and fronts. This fact is consistent with numerical simulations.

Noise induces partial annihilation of colliding dissipative solitons.

Partial annihilation of two counterpropagating dissipative solitons, with only one pulse surviving the collision, has been widely observed in different experimental contexts, over a large range of parameters, from hydrodynamics to chemical reactions. However, a generic picture accounting for partial annihilation is missing. Based on our results for coupled complex cubic-quintic Ginzburg-Landau equations as well as for the FitzHugh-Nagumo equation we conjecture that noise induces partial annihilation of colliding dissipative solitons in many systems.