The inter-play between asymmetric noise and coupling in a super-critical Hopf bifurcation

Abstract

While the stochastic dynamics of two coupled oscillators have been extensively studied, most of the research has focused on stochastic input with equal intensity. However, this is often not the case in biological systems. In this study, we investigate the effects of intrinsic noise with unequal intensity on a pair of diffusively coupled lambda-omega oscillators that are quiescent without noise but become excitable with the addition of a noise stimulus. Our findings demonstrate that unequal noise can play a constructive role in inducing phase synchronization (PS) in coupled oscillators. Additionally, we show that PS can be optimized by moving the model closer to the bifurcation point/excitation threshold. This study emphasizes the significance of examining asymmetric stochasticity between oscillators and provides valuable insight into how unequal noise intensity can be utilized to promote PS.