The changing notion of chimera states, a critical review

Abstract

Chimera states, states of coexistence of synchronous and asynchronous motion, have been a subject of extensive research since they were first given a name in 2004. Increased interest has lead to their discovery in ever new settings, both theoretical and experimental. Less well-discussed is the fact that successive results have also broadened the notion of what actually constitutes a chimera state. In this article, we critically examine how the results for different model types and coupling schemes, as well as varying implicit interpretations of terms such as coexistence, synchrony and incoherence, have influenced the common understanding of what constitutes a chimera. We cover both theoretical and experimental systems, address various chimera-derived terms that have emerged over the years and finally reflect on the question of chimera states in real-world contexts.