Abnormal Synchronizing Path of Delay-coupled Chaotic Oscillators on the Edge of Stability

TL;DR

This paper investigates the abnormal transition of synchronization paths in delay-coupled chaotic oscillators on scale-free networks, revealing unexpected behaviors that challenge traditional views on network dynamics and structure.

Contribution

It uncovers an abnormal synchronization transition where low-degree nodes synchronize first, and high-degree nodes do not act as hubs, challenging conventional assumptions.

Findings

Synchronization starts with low-degree nodes

High-degree nodes do not serve as hubs during synchronization

Synchronized subnetworks lack small-world properties

Abstract

In this paper, the transition of synchronizing path of delay-coupled chaotic oscillators in a scale-free network is highlighted. Mainly, through the critical transmission delay makes chaotic oscillators be coupled on the edge of stability, we find that the transition of synchronizing path is \emph{abnormal}, which is characterized by the following evidences: (a) synchronization process starts with low-degree rather than high-degree ones; (b) the high-degree nodes don't undertake the role of hub; (c) the synchronized subnetworks show a poor small-world property as a result of hubs absence; (d) the clustering synchronization behavior emerges even community structure is absent in the scale-free network. This abnormal synchronizing path suggests that the diverse synchronization behaviors occur in the same topology, which implies that the relationship between dynamics and structure of network is much more complicated than the common sense that the structure is the foundation of dynamics. Moreover, it also reveals the potential connection from the transition of synchronization behavior to disorder in real complex networks, e.g. Alzheimer disease.