Extreme events due to localisation of energy

TL;DR

This paper investigates how nonlinear energy localization in a one-dimensional anharmonic chain leads to extreme events, revealing unique statistical patterns and dynamic behaviors that could model energy transport phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a model demonstrating energy localization-induced extreme events and analyzes their statistical and dynamic properties, highlighting their relation to oscillatory behaviors.

Findings

Pronounced pattern in inter-event interval statistics

Extreme events often follow local oscillatory dynamics

System exhibits rapid succession of extreme events

Abstract

We study a one-dimensional chain of harmonically coupled units in an asymmetric anharmonic soft potential. Due to nonlinear localisation of energy, this system exhibits extreme events in the sense that individual elements of the chain show very large excitations. A detailed statistical analysis of extremes in this system reveals some unexpected properties, e.g., a pronounced pattern in the inter event interval statistics. We relate these statistical properties to underlying system dynamics, and notice that often when extreme events occur the system dynamics adopts (at least locally) an oscillatory behaviour, resulting in, for example, a quick succession of such events. The model therefore might serve as a paradigmatic model for the study of the interplay of nonlinearity, energy transport, and extreme events.