Collective effects induced by diversity in extended systems

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2007

Authors

Toral, R (Author) Other; Tessone, CJ (Author) Other; Lopes, JV (Author) Other

Journal

Title: European Physical Journal: Special Topics

Vol. 143

Pages: 59-67

ISSN: 1951-6355

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 30 Citations

Scopus - 30 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Physical sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-004-ATE

DOI: 10.1140/epjst/e2007-00071-5

Abstract (EN): We show that diversity, in the form of quenched noise, can have a constructive effect in the dynamics of extended systems. We first consider a bistable phi(4) model composed by many coupled units and show that the global response to an external periodic forcing is enhanced under the presence of the right amount of diversity (measured as the dispersion in one of the parameters defining the model). As a second example, we consider a system of active-rotators and show that while they are at rest in the homogeneous case, the disorder introduced by the diversity suffices to trigger the appearance of common firings or pulses. Both effects require very simple ingredients and we expect the results presented here to be of interest in similar models.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9