Enhancing synchronization in chaotic oscillators by induced heterogeneity

Abstract

We report enhancing of complete synchronization in identical chaotic oscillators when their interaction is mediated by a mismatched oscillator. The identical oscillators now interact indirectly through the intermediate relay oscillator. The induced heterogeneity in the intermediate oscillator plays a constructive role in reducing the critical coupling for a transition to complete synchronization. A common lag synchronization emerges between the mismatched relay oscillator and its neighboring identical oscillators that leads to this enhancing effect. We present examples of one-dimensional open array, a ring, a star network and a two-dimensional lattice of dynamical systems to demonstrate how this enhancing effect occurs. The paradigmatic R\"ossler oscillator is used as a dynamical unit, in our numerical experiment, for different networks to reveal the enhancing phenomenon.