Bifurcation to heteroclinic cycles and sensitivity in three and four coupled phase oscillators (Q2482030)

This paper deals with the dynamics of phase oscillator systems. In particular the authors consider a generalization of the Kuramoto model consisting of \(N=3\) or \(4\) identical oscillators: \[ \dot\theta_i=\omega+\sum_{j=1}^Ng_{\alpha,r}(\theta_i-\theta_j),\quad g_{\alpha,r}(x)=-\sin(x-\alpha)+r\sin(2x), \quad i=1,\ldots, N. \] These systems possess symmetries which reflect possible permutations of the oscillators. By using AUTO, bifurcations relative to the parameters \(\alpha\) and \(r\) in the coupling function \(g\) are studied that are associated with the creation of heteroclinic or homoclinic networks. Among them there are also robust heteroclinic attractors. Those give rise to \textsl{slow switching}, a phenomenon which has been observed earlier in this type of systems. The paper closes with a short discussion of bifurcations that appear for larger \(N\) or more general coupling functions \(g\).