Pinning in a system of swarmalators

TL;DR

This paper investigates the complex collective behaviors of swarmalators on a ring with random pinning, revealing phenomena like low-dimensional chaos and states analogous to biological and physical systems.

Contribution

It introduces a model of swarmalators with pinning effects, uncovering rich dynamics including chaos and states similar to biological and physical systems.

Findings

Discovery of low-dimensional chaos in swarmalator systems

Identification of phase wave and split phase wave states

Observation of states analogous to biological and physical systems

Abstract

We study a population of swarmalators (swarming/mobile oscillators) which run on a ring and are subject to random pinning. The pinning represents the tendency of particles to stick to defects in the underlying medium which competes with the tendency to sync / swarm. The result is rich collective behavior. A highlight is low dimensional chaos which in systems of ordinary, Kuramoto-type oscillators is uncommon. Some of the states (the phase wave and split phase wave) resemble those seen in systems of Janus matchsticks or Japanese tree frogs. The others (such as the sync and unsteady states) may be observable in systems of vinegar eels, electrorotated Quincke rollers, or other swarmalators moving in disordered environments.