Groundbreaking study unveils new complexities in synchronization phenomena

phenomena

• First experimental demonstration of fundamental patterns that govern oscillatory systems in nature and technology
• Synchronisation regions help scientists understand when things will stay in sync and when they won’t
• Known as Arnold’s tongues they are observed in natural phenomena that involve such as heartbeats, pendulum swings and flashing lights.

EMBARGOED TILL 18:00GMT, March 21 2025 | Birmingham, UK

An Aston University researcher has conducted the first experimental demonstration of intricate and previously theorised behaviours in the fundamental patterns that govern oscillatory systems in nature and technology.

Synchronisation regions, also known as Arnold’s tongues because of the shape they take when shown on a graph help scientists understand when things will stay in sync and when they won’t.

Arnold’s tongues are observed in a large variety of natural phenomena that involve oscillating quantities, such as heartbeats, pendulum swings or flashing lights.

Theoretical studies have suggested that under strong forcing, these regions could take on unexpected shapes, including leaf-like patterns and gaps representing unsynchronised states. Until now confirming such predictions experimentally had remained a significant challenge. The new study is the first time that these predicted behaviours have actually been observed in a physical system - proving that they really exist in nature and technology.

The study conducted by Dr Sonia Boscolo from Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies in collaboration with scientists from East China Normal University and the University of Burgundy in France “Unveiling the complexity of Arnold’s tongues in a breathing-soliton laser” has been published in the prestigious journal Science Advances.

Dr Boscolo and her team made their observations using a breathing-soliton laser – an ultrafast fibre laser that generates dynamic pulses with oscillatory behaviour. Their findings confirm the existence of the leaf-like structure and a ray-like pattern, the former previously only studied in a mathematical model 25 years ago. Additionally, they identified gaps in the ray-like synchronisation regions, further validating theoretical predictions.

The breakthrough builds on previous published studies by Dr Boscolo and her collaborators which established breathing-soliton lasers as an excellent platform for exploring complex synchronisation and chaotic dynamics. Unlike traditional systems that rely on external influences or coupled oscillators, these lasers provide a self-contained environment to study these behaviours.

Dr Boscolo said:  “This discovery represents a major leap forward in our understanding of nonlinear systems.

“By experimentally confirming these intricate synchronisation patterns, we open the door for further research into unusual synchronisation phenomena across various physical systems.”

The findings are expected to have broad implications across multiple disciplines, potentially influencing fields such as neuroscience, telecommunications, and even space science. The ability to manipulate synchronisation regions could lead to new advancements in medical diagnostics, signal processing and optical communications.