Clustered chimera states in delay coupled oscillator systems

TL;DR

This paper explores novel clustered chimera states in delay-coupled oscillator rings, revealing a new phase clustering mechanism induced by time delay, supported by a self-consistency mean field analysis.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of clustered chimera states in delay-coupled oscillators and demonstrates a new phase clustering mechanism supported by theoretical analysis.

Findings

Discovery of clustered chimera states with anti-phase coherent regions

Identification of time-delay as a mechanism for phase clustering

Support from a generalized self-consistency mean field equation

Abstract

We investigate "chimera" states in a ring of identical phase oscillators coupled in a time-delayed and spatially non-local fashion. We find novel "clustered chimera" states that have spatially distributed phase coherence separated by incoherence with adjacent coherent regions in anti-phase. The existence of such time-delay induced phase clustering is further supported through solutions of a generalized functional self-consistency equation of the mean field. Our results highlight an additional mechanism for cluster formation that may find wider practical applications.