Diversity-induced resonance

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that diversity among coupled systems can enhance their collective response to external signals, with optimal effects at intermediate diversity levels, highlighting diversity's constructive role in natural systems.

Contribution

It provides analytical and numerical evidence that diversity induces resonance in coupled systems, optimizing their response to subthreshold stimuli.

Findings

Diversity induces resonance in coupled systems.

Optimal response occurs at intermediate diversity levels.

Intrinsic diversity can enhance system sensitivity.

Abstract

We present conclusive evidence showing that different sources of diversity, such as those represented by quenched disorder or noise, can induce a resonant collective behavior in an ensemble of coupled bistable or excitable systems. Our analytical and numerical results show that when such systems are subjected to an external subthreshold signal, their response is optimized for an intermediate value of the diversity. These findings show that intrinsic diversity might have a constructive role and suggest that natural systems might profit from their diversity in order to optimize the response to an external stimulus.