Delay-enhanced coherent chaotic oscillations in networks with large disorders

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that coupling delay can induce and enhance phase-coherent chaotic oscillations in networks with large disorders, increasing their robustness and complexity.

Contribution

It reveals the role of coupling delay in generating coherent chaos and robustness in disordered networks, a novel insight into controlling complex network dynamics.

Findings

Delay induces phase-coherent chaotic oscillations.

Networks remain robust up to 70% disorder.

Delay prevents transition to periodic oscillations.

Abstract

We study the effect of coupling delay in a regular network with a ring topology and in a more complex network with an all-to-all (global) topology in the presence of impurities (disorder). We find that the coupling delay is capable of inducing phase-coherent chaotic oscillations in both types of networks, thereby enhancing the spatiotemporal complexity even in the presence of 50% of symmetric disorders of both fixed and random types. Furthermore, the coupling delay increases the robustness of the networks up to 70% of disorders, thereby preventing the network from acquiring periodic oscillations to foster disorder-induced spatiotemporal order. We also confirm the enhancement of coherent chaotic oscillations using snapshots of the phases and values of the associated Kuramoto order parameter. We also explain a possible mechanism for the phenomenon of delay-induced coherent chaotic oscillations despite the presence of large disorders and discuss its applications.