EPL, 79 (2007) 50002
DOI: 10.1209/0295-5075/79/50002

Noise-induced forced synchronization of global variables in coupled bistable systems

J. M. Casado, J. Gómez-Ordóñez and M. Morillo

Universidad de Sevilla, Física Teórica - Apartado de Correos 1065, Sevilla 41080, Spain

received 11 June 2007; accepted in final form 16 July 2007; published September 2007
published online 3 August 2007

Abstract
We analyze the noise-induced synchronization between a collective variable characterizing a complex system with a finite number of interacting bistable units and time-periodic driving forces. A random phase process associated to the collective stochastic variable is defined. Its average phase frequency and average phase diffusion are used to characterize the phenomenon. Our analysis is based on numerical solutions of the corresponding set of Langevin equations.

PACS
05.45.Xt - Synchronization; coupled oscillators .
05.10.Gg - Stochastic analysis methods (Fokker-Planck, Langevin, etc.) .
05.40.Ca - Noise .

© Europhysics Letters Association 2007