Comment on "Intermittent Synchronization in a Pair of Coupled Chaotic Pendula"

TL;DR

This paper clarifies misconceptions about synchronization in coupled pendula, demonstrating that observed intermittency is a known phenomenon and not a numerical artifact, thus correcting prior claims of novelty.

Contribution

It provides a critical analysis showing that the intermittency observed is standard on-off intermittency, countering previous claims of novelty and numerical artifacts.

Findings

Synchronization is of standard blow-out type.

Observed intermittency matches known on-off intermittency.

Claims of non-permanent synchronization are clarified.

Abstract

In [G. Baker et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 554 (1998)] a number of supposedly novel and surprising features were observed in a system composed of two periodically driven and asymmetrically coupled pendula. In particular it was claimed that `permanent synchronization ... does not occur except as a numerical artifact'. It was suggested that this might be related to the particular type of coupling. In this comment I want to point out that some of these claims cannot be maintained. The synchronization in this system is precisely of standard blow-out type. The observed intermittency is exactly the on-off intermittency well known from the synchronization of multifractal chaotic attractors.