Synchronization

First published: 2007

Brief summary

Scholarpedia article explaining synchronisation in nonlinear systems.

Article

Synchronisation is the adjustment of rhythms caused by interaction between oscillating systems. In the classical case, weakly coupled self-sustained oscillators may become frequency-entrained and maintain a stable difference between their phases.

The phenomenon is broader than exact simultaneous motion. Oscillators can synchronise in phase, in opposition, or with another fixed phase offset, while chaotic systems can display complete, phase or generalised forms of synchronisation.

A standard analysis separates the amplitude and phase of each oscillator. When coupling is weak, phase equations can often describe whether differences in natural frequency are overcome and whether a stable phase-locked state exists.

Synchronisation appears in mechanical clocks, lasers, electrical circuits, biological rhythms, neural activity and coupled populations. Changes in coupling or frequency mismatch can create transitions between incoherent motion, partial synchrony and collective locking.

Source details and credits

• Source / publisher: Scholarpedia
• Source type: Reference article
• URL type: WWW
• Credits: Scholarpedia
• URL: http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/Synchronization