Intermodulation distortions from an array of active nonlinear oscillators.

Abstract

Coupling is critical in nonlinear dynamical systems. It affects the stabilities of individual oscillators as well as the characteristics of their response to external forces. In the auditory system, the mechanical coupling between sensory hair cells has been proposed as a mechanism that enhances the inner ear's sensitivity and frequency discrimination. While extensive studies investigate the effects of coupling on the detection of a sinusoidal signal, the role of coupling underlying the response to a complex tone remains elusive. In this study, we measured the acoustic intermodulation distortions (IMDs) produced by the inner ears of two frog species stimulated simultaneously by two pure tones. The distortion intensity level displayed multiple peaks across stimulus frequencies, in contrast to the generic response from a single nonlinear oscillator. The multiple-peaked pattern was altered upon varying the stimulus intensity or an application of a perturbation tone near the distortion frequency. Numerical results of IMDs from a chain of coupled active nonlinear oscillators driven by two sinusoidal forces reveal the effects of coupling on the variation profile of the distortion amplitude. When the multiple-peaked pattern is observed, the chain's motion at the distortion frequency displays both a progressive wave and a standing wave. The latter arises due to coupling and is responsible for the multiple-peaked pattern. Our results illustrate the significance of mechanical coupling between active hair cells in the generation of auditory distortions, as a mechanism underlying the formation of in vivo standing waves of distortion signals.