SYNCHRONY (Symmetry breaking in)
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 3305 ▶ |
| Object type | Methodology or model |
Synchrony is not necessarily always symmetric.
S. STROGATZ and I. STEWART explain this: “Symmetry breaking governs the ways that coupled oscillators can behave. Synchrony is the most symmetrical single state, but as the strength of the coupling between oscillators changes, other states may appear. Two oscillators can couple in either synchronous or antisynchronous fashion,… corresponding roughly to the bipedal locomotion of a kangaroo or a person. Three oscillators can couple in four ways: synchrony; each one third of a cycle out of phase with the others…; two synchronous and one with an unrelated phase,… or in the peculiar rhythm of two ocillators antisynchronous and the third running twice as fast… This pattern is also the gait of a person walking slowly with the aid of a stick” (1993, p.72).
A growing variety of combinations can be produced by a growing number of coupled oscillators.