Predictions of ultra-harmonic oscillations in coupled arrays of limit cycle oscillators

Abstract

Coupled distinct arrays of nonlinear oscillators have been shown to have a regime of high frequency, or ultra-harmonic, oscillations that are at multiples of the natural frequency of individual oscillators. The coupled array architectures generate an in-phase high-frequency state by coupling with an array in an anti-phase state. The underlying mechanism for the creation and stability of the ultra-harmonic oscillations is analyzed. A class of inter-array coupling is shown to create a stable, in-phase oscillation having frequency that increases linearly with the number of oscillators, but with an amplitude that stays fairly constant. The analysis of the theory is illustrated by numerical simulation of coupled arrays of Stuart-Landau limit cycle oscillators.