Higher-order simplicial synchronization of coupled topological signals

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that algebraic topology can describe higher-order dynamics in simplicial complexes, revealing a discontinuous topological synchronization transition in coupled signals on nodes and links.

Contribution

It introduces a novel framework using algebraic topology to analyze higher-order synchronization phenomena in simplicial complexes and networks.

Findings

Explosive topological synchronization occurs with coupled node and link signals.

Theoretical conditions for hysteresis loops in large networks are established.

Model validated on real connectomes and various network models.

Abstract

Simplicial complexes capture the underlying network topology and geometry of complex systems ranging from the brain to social networks. Here we show that algebraic topology is a fundamental tool to capture the higher-order dynamics of simplicial complexes. In particular we consider topological signals, i.e., dynamical signals defined on simplices of different dimension, here taken to be nodes and links for simplicity. We show that coupling between signals defined on nodes and links leads to explosive topological synchronization in which phases defined on nodes synchronize simultaneously to phases defined on links at a discontinuous phase transition. We study the model on real connectomes and on simplicial complexes and network models. Finally, we provide a comprehensive theoretical approach that captures this transition on fully connected networks and on random networks treated within the annealed approximation, establishing the conditions for observing a closed hysteresis loop in the large network limit.