Enhancing network synchronization by phase modulation

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that carefully designed phase lag modulations can significantly improve synchronization in complex oscillator networks, challenging the traditional view that phase lags are always detrimental.

Contribution

It introduces a novel phase modulation strategy that enhances network synchronization, supported by theoretical analysis and validation on synthetic and empirical networks.

Findings

Phase modulation improves synchronization efficiency.

The strategy is effective on both synthetic and real networks.

Analytic understanding of the underlying mechanism is provided.

Abstract

Due to time delays in signal transmission and processing, phase lags are inevitable in realistic complex oscillator networks. Conventional wisdom is that phase lags are detrimental to network synchronization. Here we show that judiciously chosen phase lag modulations can result in significantly enhanced network synchronization. We justify our strategy of phase modulation, demonstrate its power in facilitating and enhancing network synchronization with synthetic and empirical network models, and provide an analytic understanding of the underlying mechanism. Our work provides a new approach to synchronization optimization in complex networks, with insights into control of complex nonlinear networks.