Asymmetry Induced Suppression of Chaos in an Electro-Chemo-Mechanical System

Abstract

Multiple unconnected chaotic relaxation oscillators realized by an electro-chemo-mechanical system (Mercury Beating heart) is coupled to a markedly different common external chaotic system realized by an electronic circuit. Upon exploring the resultant dynamics, it is found that, for sufficiently strong coupling, oscillatory activity of the group of oscillators is quenched by a single dissimilar chaotic oscillator. The results are corroborated numerically using model relaxation oscillator systems mimicking the interaction through coupled ordinary differential equations. A completely distinct chaotic external system is able to quench the ensemble’s oscillations most efficiently rather than a regular external oscillator or a system identical to the ensemble. This control of a group of oscillators using a dissimilar external system points to a powerful control strategy which is experimentally demonstrable. The general principle of emergent symmetry from asymmetric constituent systems which is illustrated here suggests that diversity or heterogeneity is a crucial factor in interactive systems exhibiting regularity.