The emergence of dynamic networks from many coupled polar oscillators. A model for Artificial Life

TL;DR

This paper presents a deterministic model of coupled polar oscillators that self-organizes into complex, dynamic networks exhibiting properties akin to life, including self-regulation and spontaneous compartmentalization, across different behavioral regimes.

Contribution

It introduces a novel model of locally coupled polar oscillators that form emergent, self-organized dynamic networks with life-like properties, expanding understanding of complex system behaviors.

Findings

Emergence of self-organized dynamic networks from oscillator synchronization

Identification of distinct behavioral regimes: static, dynamic, intermittent, chaos

Statistical analysis of control parameters for different behaviors

Abstract

This work concerns a many-body deterministic model that displays life-like properties as emergence, complexity, self-organization, spontaneous compartmentalization, and self-regulation. The model portraits the dynamics of an ensemble of locally coupled polar phase oscillators, moving in a two-dimensional space, that in certain conditions exhibit emergent superstructures. Those superstructures are self-organized dynamic networks, resulting from a synchronization process of many units, over length scales much greater than the interaction length. Such networks compartmentalize the two-dimensional space with no a priori constraints, due to the formation of porous transport walls, and represent a highly complex and novel non-linear behavior. The analysis is numerically carried out as a function of a control parameter showing distinct regimes: static, stable dynamic networks, intermittency, and chaos. A statistical analysis is drawn to determine the control parameter ranges for the various behaviors to appear.