Multiplexing induced explosive synchronization in Kuramoto oscillators with inertia

Abstract

Explosive synchronization (ES) of coupled oscillators on networks is shown to be originated from the existence of correlation between natural frequencies of oscillators and degrees of corresponding nodes. Here, we demonstrate that ES is a generic feature of multiplex network of second-order Kuramoto oscillators and can exist in the absence of a frequency-degree correlation. A monoplex network of second-order Kuramoto oscillators bearing homogeneous (heterogeneous) degree distribution is known to display the first-order (second-order) transition to synchronization. We report that multiplexing of two such networks having homogeneous degree distribution support the first-order transition in both the layers thereby facilitating ES. More interesting is the multiplexing of a layer bearing heterogeneous degree distribution with another layer bearing homogeneous degree distribution, which induces a first-order (ES) transition in the heterogeneous layer which was incapable of showing the same in isolation. Further, we report that such induced ES transition in the heterogeneous layer of multiplex networks can be controlled by varying inter- and intra-layer coupling strengths. Our findings emphasize the importance of multiplexing or the impact of one layer on the dynamical evolution of other layers of systems having inherent multiplex or multilevel architecture. © EPLA, 2017