When Nonlocal Coupling Between Oscillators Becomes Stronger: Patched   Synchrony or Multi-Chimera States
  Systems of nonlocally coupled oscillators can exhibit complex spatio-temporal patterns, called chimera states, which consist of coexisting domains of spatially coherent (synchronized) and incoherent dynamics. We report on a novel form of these states, found in a widely used model of a limit-cycle oscillator if one goes beyond the limit of weak coupling typical for phase oscillators. Then patches of synchronized dynamics appear within the incoherent domain giving rise to a multi-chimera state. We find that, depending on the coupling strength and range, different multi-chimeras arise in a transition from classical chimera states. The additional spatial modulation is due to strong coupling interaction and thus cannot be observed in simple phase-oscillator models. 
Iryna Omelchenko, Oleh E. Omel'chenko, Philipp H\"ovel, Eckehard   Sch\"oll
nlin.AO nlin.CD