R. Jaimes-Reátegui

Explosive First-Order Transition to Synchrony in Networked Chaotic Oscillators

Critical phenomena in complex networks, and the emergence of dynamical abrupt transitions in the macroscopic state of the system are currently a subject of the outmost interest. We report evidence of an explosive phase synchronization in networks of chaotic units. Namely, by means of both extensive simulations of networks made up of chaotic units, and validation with an experiment of electronic circuits in a star configuration, we demonstrate the existence of a first-order transition towards synchronization of the phases of the networked units. Our findings constitute the first prove of this kind of synchronization in practice, thus opening the path to its use in real-world applications.

Critical slowing down and noise-induced intermittency in bistable perception: bifurcation analysis

Stochastic dynamics and critical slowing down were studied experimentally and numerically near the onset of dynamical bistability in visual perception under the influence of noise. Exploring the Necker cube as the essential example of an ambiguous figure, and using its wire contrast as a control parameter, we measured dynamical hysteresis in two coexisting percepts as a function of both the velocity of the parameter change and the background luminance. The bifurcation analysis allowed us to estimate the level of cognitive noise inherent to brain neural cells activity, which induced intermittent switches between different perception states. The results of numerical simulations with a simple energy model are in good qualitative agreement with psychological experiments.

Generalized synchronization in relay systems with instantaneous coupling.

We demonstrate the existence of generalized synchronization in systems that act as mediators between two dynamical units that, in turn, show complete synchronization with each other. These are the so-called relay systems. Specifically, we analyze the Lyapunov spectrum of the full system to elucidate when complete and generalized synchronization appear. We show that once a critical coupling strength is achieved, complete synchronization emerges between the systems to be synchronized, and at the same point, generalized synchronization with the relay system also arises. Next, we use two nonlinear measures based on the distance between phase-space neighbors to quantify the generalized synchronization in discretized time series. Finally, we experimentally show the robustness of the phenomenon and of the theoretical tools here proposed to characterize it.

Synchronization of coupled bistable chaotic systems: experimental study

We carried out an experimental study of the synchronization of two unidirectionally coupled Rössler-like electronic circuits with two coexisting chaotic attractors. Different stages of synchronization are identified on the route from asynchronous motion to complete synchronization, as the coupling parameter is increased: intermittent asynchronous jumps between coexisting attractors; intermittent anticipating phase synchronization; and generalized synchronization in the form of subharmonic entrainment terminated by complete synchronization. All these regimes are analysed with time-series, power spectra and phase-space plots of the drive and response oscillators. The experimental study implicitly confirms the results of numerical simulations.

Novel communication scheme based on chaotic Rössler circuits

We present a novel synchronization scheme for secure communication with two chaotic unidirectionally coupled Rossler circuits. The circuits are synchronized via one of the variables, while a signal is transmitted through another variable. We show that this scheme allows more stable communications. The system dynamics is studied numerically and experimentally in a wide range of a control parameter. The possibility of secure communications with an audio signal is demonstrated.

SYNCHRONIZATION OF MULTISTABLE SYSTEMS

We present the detailed study of synchronization of two unidirectionally coupled identical systems with coexisting chaotic attractors and analyze system dynamics observed on the route from asynchronous behavior to complete synchronization when the coupling strength is increased. We distinguish three stages of synchronization depending on the coupling strength which can be conventionally divided into three intervals. A relatively weak coupling induces asynchronous intermittent jumps between coexisting attractors and anticipating phase synchronization within windows where the systems stay in similar attractors; an intermediate coupling creates combined attractors that give rise to generalized synchronization in the form of subharmonic frequency entrainment; and a strong coupling results in complete synchronization. The results of numerical simulations are in good agreement with experiments carried out with piecewise-linear Rossler-like electronic circuits.

Secure Computer Communication Based on Chaotic Rössler Oscillators

We describe a communication scheme based on chaotic Rossler oscillators for transmission of secure messages via computers. The computers are synchronized through one of the channels via one of the variables of the Rossler sys- tem, while an information signal is transmitted through another channel by adding the message to another system variable. This scheme provides more stable communication because the information signal does not enter to the receiver and hence does not cause an error in synchronization. The method is tested with different types of information signals: audio, text, and image.

Intermittent lag synchronization in a driven system of coupled oscillators

We study intermittent lag synchronization in a system of two identical mutually coupled Duffing oscillators with parametric modulation in one of them. This phenomenon in a periodically forced system can be seen as intermittent jump from phase to lag synchronization, during which the chaotic trajectory visits a periodic orbit closely. We demonstrate different types of intermittent lag synchronizations, that occur in the vicinity of saddle-node bifurcations where the system changes its dynamical state, and characterize the simplest case of period-one intermittent lag synchronization.

Selective monostability in multi-stable systems

We propose a robust method that allows a periodic or a chaotic multi-stable system to be transformed to a monostable system at an orbit with dominant frequency of any of the coexisting attractors. Our approach implies the selection of a particular attractor by periodic external modulation with frequency close to the dominant frequency in the power spectrum of a desired orbit and simultaneous annihilation of all other coexisting states by positive feedback, both applied to one of the system parameters. The method does not require any preliminary knowledge of the system dynamics and the phase space structure. The efficiency of the method is demonstrated in both a non-autonomous multi-stable laser with coexisting periodic orbits and an autonomous Rössler-like oscillator with coexisting chaotic attractors. The experiments with an erbium-doped fibre laser provide evidence for the robustness of the proposed method in making the system monostable at an orbit with dominant frequency of any preselected attractor.

Experimental Implementation of a Biometric Laser Synaptic Sensor

We fabricate a biometric laser fiber synaptic sensor to transmit information from one neuron cell to the other by an optical way. The optical synapse is constructed on the base of an erbium-doped fiber laser, whose pumped diode current is driven by a pre-synaptic FitzHugh–Nagumo electronic neuron, and the laser output controls a post-synaptic FitzHugh–Nagumo electronic neuron. The implemented laser synapse displays very rich dynamics, including fixed points, periodic orbits with different frequency-locking ratios and chaos. These regimes can be beneficial for efficient biorobotics, where behavioral flexibility subserved by synaptic connectivity is a challenge.