Generalizing the transition from amplitude to oscillation death in coupled oscillators

Linear coupling of patterning systems can have nonlinear effects

Isolated patterning systems have been repeatedly investigated. However, biological systems rarely work on their own. This paper presents a theoretical and quantitative analysis of a two-domain interconnected geometry, or bilayer, coupling two two-species reaction-diffusion systems mimicking interlayer communication, such as in mammary organoids. Each layer has identical kinetics and parameters, but differing diffusion coefficients. Critically, we show that despite a linear coupling between the layers, the model demonstrates nonlinear behavior; the coupling can lead to pattern suppression or pattern enhancement. Using the Routh-Hurwitz stability criterion multiple times, we investigate the pattern-forming capabilities of the uncoupled system, the weakly coupled system, and the strongly coupled system, using numerical simulations to back up the analysis. We show that although the dispersion relation of the entire system is a nontrivial octic polynomial, the patterning wave modes in the strongly coupled case can be approximated by a quartic polynomial, whose features are easier to understand.

How synchronized human networks escape local minima

Finding the global minimum in complex networks while avoiding local minima is challenging in many types of networks. In human networks and communities, adapting and finding new stable states amid changing conditions due to conflicts, climate changes, or disasters, is crucial. We studied the dynamics of complex networks of violin players and observed that such human networks have different methods to avoid local minima than other non-human networks. Humans can change the coupling strength between them or change their tempo. This leads to different dynamics than other networks and makes human networks more robust and better resilient against perturbations. We observed high-order vortex states, oscillation death, and amplitude death, due to the unique dynamics of the network. This research may have implications in politics, economics, pandemic control, decision-making, and predicting the dynamics of networks with artificial intelligence.

Mean-field analysis of Stuart-Landau oscillator networks with symmetric coupling and dynamical noise

This paper presents analyses of networks composed of homogeneous Stuart-Landau oscillators with symmetric linear coupling and dynamical Gaussian noise. With a simple mean-field approximation, the original system is transformed into a surrogate system that describes uncorrelated oscillation/fluctuation modes of the original system. The steady-state probability distribution for these modes is described using an exponential family, and the dynamics of the system are mainly determined by the eigenvalue spectrum of the coupling matrix and the noise level. The variances of the modes can be expressed as functions of the eigenvalues and noise level, yielding the relation between the covariance matrix and the coupling matrix of the oscillators. With decreasing noise, the leading mode changes from fluctuation to oscillation, generating apparent synchrony of the coupled oscillators, and the condition for such a transition is derived. Finally, the approximate analyses are examined via numerical simulation of the oscillator networks with weak coupling to verify the utility of the approximation in outlining the basic properties of the considered coupled oscillator networks. These results are potentially useful for the modeling and analysis of indirectly measured data of neurodynamics, e.g., via functional magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography, as a counterpart of the frequently used Ising model.

Quantum Turing bifurcation: Transition from quantum amplitude death to quantum oscillation death

An important transition from a homogeneous steady state to an inhomogeneous steady state via the Turing bifurcation in coupled oscillators was reported recently [Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 024103 (2013)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.111.024103]. However, the same in the quantum domain is yet to be observed. In this paper, we discover the quantum analog of the Turing bifurcation in coupled quantum oscillators. We show that a homogeneous steady state is transformed into an inhomogeneous steady state through this bifurcation in coupled quantum van der Pol oscillators. We demonstrate our results by a direct simulation of the quantum master equation in the Lindblad form. We further support our observations through an analytical treatment of the noisy classical model. Our study explores the paradigmatic Turing bifurcation at the quantum-classical interface and opens up the door toward its broader understanding.

Predicting amplitude death with machine learning

In nonlinear dynamics, a parameter drift can lead to a sudden and complete cessation of the oscillations of the state variables-the phenomenon of amplitude death. The underlying bifurcation is one at which the system settles into a steady state from chaotic or regular oscillations. As the normal functioning of many physical, biological, and physiological systems hinges on oscillations, amplitude death is undesired. To predict amplitude death in advance of its occurrence based solely on oscillatory time series collected while the system still functions normally is a challenge problem. We exploit machine learning to meet this challenge. In particular, we develop the scheme of "parameter-aware" reservoir computing, where training is conducted for a small number of bifurcation parameter values in the oscillatory regime to enable prediction upon a parameter drift into the regime of amplitude death. We demonstrate successful prediction of amplitude death for three prototypical dynamical systems in which the transition to death is preceded by either chaotic or regular oscillations. Because of the completely data-driven nature of the prediction framework, potential applications to real-world systems can be anticipated.

Collective behaviors of mean-field coupled Stuart-Landau limit-cycle oscillators under additional repulsive links

We study the collective behaviors of a large population of Stuart-Landau limit-cycle oscillators that coupled diffusively and equally with all of the others via the conjugate of the mean field, where the underlying interaction is shown to break the rotational symmetry of the coupled system. In the model, an ensemble of Stuart-Landau oscillators are in fact diffusively coupled via the mean field in the real parts, whereas additional repulsive links are present in the imaginary parts. All the oscillators are linked via the similar state variables, which distinctly differs from the conjugate coupling through dissimilar variables in the previous studies. We show that depending on the strength of coupling and the distribution of natural frequencies, the coupled system exhibits three qualitatively different types of collective stationary behaviors: amplitude death (AD), oscillation death (OD), and incoherent state. Our goal is to analytically characterize the onset of the above three typical macrostates by performing the rigorous linear stability analyses of the corresponding mean-field coupled system. We prove that AD is able to occur in the coupled system with identical frequencies, where the stable coupling interval of AD is found to be independent on the system's size N. When the natural frequencies are distributed according to a general density function, we obtain the analytic equations that govern the exact stability boundaries of AD, OD, and the incoherence for a coupled system in the thermodynamic limit N→∞. All the theoretical predictions are well confirmed via numerical simulations of the coupled system with a specific Lorentzian frequency distribution.

Tuning coupling rate to control oscillation quenching in fractional-order coupled oscillators

Introducing the fractional-order derivative into the coupled dynamical systems intrigues gradually the researchers from diverse fields. In this work, taking Stuart-Landau and Van der Pol oscillators as examples, we compare the difference between fractional-order and integer-order derivatives and further analyze their influences on oscillation quenching behaviors. Through tuning the coupling rate, as an asymmetric parameter to achieve the change from scalar coupling to non-scalar coupling, we observe that the onset of fractional-order not only enlarges the range of oscillation death, but attributes to the transition from fake amplitude death to oscillation death for coupled Stuart-Landau oscillators. We go on to show that for a coupled Van der Pol system only in the presence of a fractional-order derivative, oscillation quenching behaviors will occur. The results pave a way for revealing the control mechanism of oscillation quenching, which is critical for further understanding the function of fractional-order in a coupled nonlinear model.

Coexistence of oscillation and quenching states: Effect of low-pass active filtering in coupled oscillators

Effects of a low-pass active filter (LPAF) on the transition processes from oscillation quenching to asymmetrical oscillation are explored for diffusively coupled oscillators. The low-pass filter part and the active part of LPAF exhibit different effects on the dynamics of these coupled oscillators. With the amplifying active part only, LPAF keeps the coupled oscillators staying in a nontrivial amplitude death (NTAD) and oscillation state. However, the additional filter is beneficial to induce a transition from a symmetrical oscillation death to an asymmetrical oscillation death and then to an asymmetrical oscillation state which is oscillating with different amplitudes for two oscillators. Asymmetrical oscillation state is coexisting with a synchronous oscillation state for properly presented parameters. With the attenuating active part only, LPAF keeps the coupled oscillators in rich oscillation quenching states such as amplitude death (AD), symmetrical oscillation death (OD), and NTAD. The additional filter tends to enlarge the AD domains but to shrink the symmetrical OD domains by increasing the areas of the coexistence of the oscillation state and the symmetrical OD state. The stronger filter effects enlarge the basin of the symmetrical OD state which is coexisting with the synchronous oscillation state. Moreover, the effects of the filter are general in globally coupled oscillators. Our results are important for understanding and controlling the multistability of coupled systems.

Emergent dynamics in delayed attractive-repulsively coupled networks

We investigate different emergent dynamics, namely, oscillation quenching and revival of oscillation, in a global network of identical oscillators coupled with diffusive (positive) delay coupling as it is perturbed by symmetry breaking localized repulsive delayed interaction. Starting from the oscillatory state (OS), we systematically identify three types of transition phenomena in the parameter space: (1) The system may reach inhomogeneous steady states from the homogeneous steady state sometimes called as the transition from amplitude death (AD) to oscillation death (OD) state, i.e., OS-AD-OD scenario, (2) Revival of oscillation (OS) from the AD state (OS-AD-OS), and (3) Emergence of the OD state from the oscillatory state (OS) without passing through AD, i.e., OS-OD. The dynamics of each node in the network is assumed to be governed either by the identical limit cycle Stuart-Landau system or by the chaotic Rössler system. Based on clustering behavior observed in the oscillatory network, we derive a reduced low-dimensional model of the large network. Using the reduced model, we investigate the effect of time delay on these transitions and demarcate OS, AD, and OD regimes in the parameter space. We also explore and characterize the bifurcation transitions present in both systems. The generic behavior of the low dimensional model and full network is found to match satisfactorily.

Transition from homogeneous to inhomogeneous limit cycles: Effect of local filtering in coupled oscillators

We report an interesting symmetry-breaking transition in coupled identical oscillators, namely, the continuous transition from homogeneous to inhomogeneous limit cycle oscillations. The observed transition is the oscillatory analog of the Turing-type symmetry-breaking transition from amplitude death (i.e., stable homogeneous steady state) to oscillation death (i.e., stable inhomogeneous steady state). This novel transition occurs in the parametric zone of occurrence of rhythmogenesis and oscillation death as a consequence of the presence of local filtering in the coupling path. We consider paradigmatic oscillators, such as Stuart-Landau and van der Pol oscillators, under mean-field coupling with low-pass or all-pass filtered self-feedback and through a rigorous bifurcation analysis we explore the genesis of this transition. Further, we experimentally demonstrate the observed transition, which establishes its robustness in the presence of parameter fluctuations and noise.

The impact of propagation and processing delays on amplitude and oscillation deaths in the presence of symmetry-breaking coupling

We numerically investigate the impacts of both propagation and processing delays on the emergences of amplitude death (AD) and oscillation death (OD) in one system of two Stuart-Landau oscillators with symmetry-breaking coupling. In either the absence of or the presence of propagation delay, the processing delay destabilizes both AD and OD by revoking the stability of the stable homogenous and inhomogenous steady states. In the AD to OD transition, the processing delay destabilizes first OD from large values of coupling strength until its stable regime completely disappears and then AD from both the upper and lower bounds of the stable coupling interval. Our numerical study sheds new insight lights on the understanding of nontrivial effects of time delays on dynamic activity of coupled nonlinear systems.

Revival of oscillations from deaths in diffusively coupled nonlinear systems: Theory and experiment

Amplitude death (AD) and oscillation death (OD) are two structurally different oscillation quenching phenomena in coupled nonlinear systems. As a reverse issue of AD and OD, revival of oscillations from deaths attracts an increasing attention recently. In this paper, we clearly disclose that a time delay in the self-feedback component of the coupling destabilizes not only AD but also OD, and even the AD to OD transition in paradigmatic models of coupled Stuart-Landau oscillators under diverse death configurations. Using a rigorous analysis, the effectiveness of this self-feedback delay in revoking AD is theoretically proved to be valid in an arbitrary network of coupled Stuart-Landau oscillators with generally distributed propagation delays. Moreover, the role of self-feedback delay in reviving oscillations from AD is experimentally verified in two delay-coupled electrochemical reactions.

Phase-flip and oscillation-quenching-state transitions through environmental diffusive coupling

We study the dynamics of nonlinear oscillators coupled through environmental diffusive coupling. The interaction between the dynamical systems is maintained through its agents which, in turn, interact globally with each other in the common dynamical environment. We show that this form of coupling scheme can induce an important transition like phase-flip transition as well transitions among oscillation quenching states in identical limit-cycle oscillators. This behavior is analyzed in the parameter plane by analytical and numerical studies of specific cases of the Stuart-Landau oscillator and van der Pol oscillator. Experimental evidences of the phase-flip transition and quenching states are shown using an electronic version of the van der Pol oscillators.

Reviving oscillation with optimal spatial period of frequency distribution in coupled oscillators

The spatial distributions of system's frequencies have significant influences on the critical coupling strengths for amplitude death (AD) in coupled oscillators. We find that the left and right critical coupling strengths for AD have quite different relations to the increasing spatial period m of the frequency distribution in coupled oscillators. The left one has a negative linear relationship with m in log-log axis for small initial frequency mismatches while remains constant for large initial frequency mismatches. The right one is in quadratic function relation with spatial period m of the frequency distribution in log-log axis. There is an optimal spatial period m₀ of frequency distribution with which the coupled system has a minimal critical strength to transit from an AD regime to reviving oscillation. Moreover, the optimal spatial period m₀ of the frequency distribution is found to be related to the system size N. Numerical examples are explored to reveal the inner regimes of effects of the spatial frequency distribution on AD.

Experimental demonstration of revival of oscillations from death in coupled nonlinear oscillators

We experimentally demonstrate that a processing delay, a finite response time, in the coupling can revoke the stability of the stable steady states, thereby facilitating the revival of oscillations in the same parameter space where the coupled oscillators suffered the quenching of oscillation. This phenomenon of reviving of oscillations is demonstrated using two different prototype electronic circuits. Further, the analytical critical curves corroborate that the spread of the parameter space with stable steady state is diminished continuously by increasing the processing delay. Finally, the death state is completely wiped off above a threshold value by switching the stability of the stable steady state to retrieve sustained oscillations in the same parameter space. The underlying dynamical mechanism responsible for the decrease in the spread of the stable steady states and the eventual reviving of oscillation as a function of the processing delay is explained using analytical results.

Mixed-mode oscillation suppression states in coupled oscillators

We report a collective dynamical state, namely the mixed-mode oscillation suppression state where the steady states of the state variables of a system of coupled oscillators show heterogeneous behaviors. We identify two variants of it: The first one is a mixed-mode death (MMD) state, which is an interesting oscillation death state, where a set of variables show dissimilar values, while the rest arrive at a common value. In the second mixed death state, bistable and monostable nontrivial homogeneous steady states appear simultaneously to a different set of variables (we refer to it as the MNAD state). We find these states in the paradigmatic chaotic Lorenz system and Lorenz-like system under generic coupling schemes. We identify that while the reflection symmetry breaking is responsible for the MNAD state, the breaking of both the reflection and translational symmetries result in the MMD state. Using a rigorous bifurcation analysis we establish the occurrence of the MMD and MNAD states, and map their transition routes in parameter space. Moreover, we report experimental observation of the MMD and MNAD states that supports our theoretical results. We believe that this study will broaden our understanding of oscillation suppression states; subsequently, it may have applications in many real physical systems, such as laser and geomagnetic systems, whose mathematical models mimic the Lorenz system.

Pluripotency, Differentiation, and Reprogramming: A Gene Expression Dynamics Model with Epigenetic Feedback Regulation

Embryonic stem cells exhibit pluripotency: they can differentiate into all types of somatic cells. Pluripotent genes such as Oct4 and Nanog are activated in the pluripotent state, and their expression decreases during cell differentiation. Inversely, expression of differentiation genes such as Gata6 and Gata4 is promoted during differentiation. The gene regulatory network controlling the expression of these genes has been described, and slower-scale epigenetic modifications have been uncovered. Although the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells is normally irreversible, reprogramming of cells can be experimentally manipulated to regain pluripotency via overexpression of certain genes. Despite these experimental advances, the dynamics and mechanisms of differentiation and reprogramming are not yet fully understood. Based on recent experimental findings, we constructed a simple gene regulatory network including pluripotent and differentiation genes, and we demonstrated the existence of pluripotent and differentiated states from the resultant dynamical-systems model. Two differentiation mechanisms, interaction-induced switching from an expression oscillatory state and noise-assisted transition between bistable stationary states, were tested in the model. The former was found to be relevant to the differentiation process. We also introduced variables representing epigenetic modifications, which controlled the threshold for gene expression. By assuming positive feedback between expression levels and the epigenetic variables, we observed differentiation in expression dynamics. Additionally, with numerical reprogramming experiments for differentiated cells, we showed that pluripotency was recovered in cells by imposing overexpression of two pluripotent genes and external factors to control expression of differentiation genes. Interestingly, these factors were consistent with the four Yamanaka factors, Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and Myc, which were necessary for the establishment of induced pluripotent stem cells. These results, based on a gene regulatory network and expression dynamics, contribute to our wider understanding of pluripotency, differentiation, and reprogramming of cells, and they provide a fresh viewpoint on robustness and control during development.

Characterization of pluripotent states, in which cells can both self-renew and differentiate, and the irreversible loss of pluripotency are important research areas in developmental biology. In particular, an understanding of these processes is essential to the reprogramming of cells for biomedical applications, i.e., the experimental recovery of pluripotency in differentiated cells. Based on recent advances in dynamical-systems theory for gene expression, we propose a gene-regulatory-network model consisting of several pluripotent and differentiation genes. Our results show that cellular-state transition to differentiated cell types occurs as the number of cells increases, beginning with the pluripotent state and oscillatory expression of pluripotent genes. Cell-cell signaling mediates the differentiation process with robustness to noise, while epigenetic modifications affecting gene expression dynamics fix the cellular state. These modifications ensure the cellular state to be protected against external perturbation, but they also work as an epigenetic barrier to recovery of pluripotency. We show that overexpression of several genes leads to the reprogramming of cells, consistent with the methods for establishing induced pluripotent stem cells. Our model, which involves the inter-relationship between gene expression dynamics and epigenetic modifications, improves our basic understanding of cell differentiation and reprogramming.

Oscillation suppression in indirectly coupled limit cycle oscillators

We study the phenomena of oscillation quenching in a system of limit cycle oscillators which are coupled indirectly via a dynamic environment. The dynamics of the environment is assumed to decay exponentially with some decay parameter. We show that for appropriate coupling strength, the decay parameter of the environment plays a crucial role in the emergent dynamics such as amplitude death (AD) and oscillation death (OD). The critical curves for the regions of oscillation quenching as a function of coupling strength and decay parameter of the environment are obtained analytically using linear stability analysis and are found to be consistent with the numerics.

Restoration of rhythmicity in diffusively coupled dynamical networks

Oscillatory behaviour is essential for proper functioning of various physical and biological processes. However, diffusive coupling is capable of suppressing intrinsic oscillations due to the manifestation of the phenomena of amplitude and oscillation deaths. Here we present a scheme to revoke these quenching states in diffusively coupled dynamical networks, and demonstrate the approach in experiments with an oscillatory chemical reaction. By introducing a simple feedback factor in the diffusive coupling, we show that the stable (in)homogeneous steady states can be effectively destabilized to restore dynamic behaviours of coupled systems. Even a feeble deviation from the normal diffusive coupling drastically shrinks the death regions in the parameter space. The generality of our method is corroborated in diverse non-linear systems of diffusively coupled paradigmatic models with various death scenarios. Our study provides a general framework to strengthen the robustness of dynamic activity in diffusively coupled dynamical networks.

Feedback as a mechanism for the resurrection of oscillations from death states

The quenching of oscillations in interacting systems leads to several unwanted situations, which necessitate a suitable remedy to overcome the quenching. In this connection, this work addresses a mechanism that can resurrect oscillations in a typical situation. Through both numerical and analytical studies, we show that the candidate which is capable of resurrecting oscillations is nothing but the feedback, the one which is profoundly used in dynamical control and in biotherapies. Even in the case of a rather general system, we demonstrate analytically the applicability of the technique over one of the oscillation quenched states called amplitude death states. We also discuss some of the features of this mechanism such as adaptability of the technique with the feedback of only a few of the oscillators.

Oscillator death induced by amplitude-dependent coupling in repulsively coupled oscillators

The effects of amplitude-dependent coupling on oscillator death (OD) are investigated for two repulsively coupled Lorenz oscillators. Based on numerical simulations, it is shown that as constraint strengths on the amplitude-dependent coupling change, an oscillatory state may undergo a transition to an OD state. The parameter regimes of the OD domain are theoretically determined, which coincide well with the numerical results. An electronic circuit is set up to exhibit the transition process to the OD state with an amplitude-dependent coupling. These findings may have practical importance on chaos control and oscillation depression.

Transitions among the diverse oscillation quenching states induced by the interplay of direct and indirect coupling

We report the transitions among different oscillation quenching states induced by the interplay of diffusive (direct) coupling and environmental (indirect) coupling in coupled identical oscillators. This coupling scheme was introduced by Resmi et al. [Phys. Rev. E 84, 046212 (2011)] as a general scheme to induce amplitude death (AD) in nonlinear oscillators. Using a detailed bifurcation analysis we show that, in addition to AD, which actually occurs only in a small region of parameter space, this coupling scheme can induce other oscillation quenching states, namely oscillation death (OD) and a novel nontrvial AD (NAD) state, which is a nonzero bistable homogeneous steady state; more importantly, this coupling scheme mediates a transition from the AD state to the OD state and a new transition from the AD state to the NAD state. We identify diverse routes to the NAD state and map all the transition scenarios in the parameter space for periodic oscillators. Finally, we present the first experimental evidence of oscillation quenching states and their transitions induced by the interplay of direct and indirect coupling.

Transition from amplitude to oscillation death in a network of oscillators

We report a transition from a homogeneous steady state (HSS) to inhomogeneous steady states (IHSSs) in a network of globally coupled identical oscillators. We perturb a synchronized population of oscillators in the network with a few local negative or repulsive mean field links. The whole population splits into two clusters for a certain number of repulsive mean field links and a range of coupling strength. For further increase of the strength of interaction, these clusters collapse into a HSS followed by a transition to IHSSs where all the oscillators populate either of the two stable steady states. We analytically determine the origin of HSS and its transition to IHSS in relation to the number of repulsive mean-field links and the strength of interaction using a reductionism approach to the model network. We verify the results with numerical examples of the paradigmatic Landau-Stuart limit cycle system and the chaotic Rössler oscillator as dynamical nodes. During the transition from HSS to IHSSs, the network follows the Turing type symmetry breaking pitchfork or transcritical bifurcation depending upon the system dynamics.

Emergence of amplitude and oscillation death in identical coupled oscillators

We deduce rigorous conditions for the onset of amplitude death (AD) and oscillation death (OD) in a system of identical coupled paradigmatic Stuart-Landau oscillators. A nonscalar coupling and high frequency are beneficial for the onset of AD. In strong contrast, scalar diffusive coupling and low intrinsic frequency are in favor of the emergence of OD. Our finding contributes to clearly distinguish intrinsic geneses for AD and OD, and further substantially corroborates that AD and OD are indeed two dynamically distinct oscillation quenching phenomena due to distinctly different mechanisms.

Experimental observation of a transition from amplitude to oscillation death in coupled oscillators

We report the experimental evidence of an important transition scenario, namely the transition from amplitude death (AD) to oscillation death (OD) state in coupled limit cycle oscillators. We consider two Van der Pol oscillators coupled through mean-field diffusion and show that this system exhibits a transition from AD to OD, which was earlier shown for Stuart-Landau oscillators under the same coupling scheme [T. Banerjee and D. Ghosh, Phys. Rev. E 89, 052912 (2014)]. We show that the AD-OD transition is governed by the density of mean-field and beyond a critical value this transition is destroyed; further, we show the existence of a nontrivial AD state that coexists with OD. Next, we implement the system in an electronic circuit and experimentally confirm the transition from AD to OD state. We further characterize the experimental parameter zone where this transition occurs. The present study may stimulate the search for the practical systems where this important transition scenario can be observed experimentally.

Transition from amplitude to oscillation death under mean-field diffusive coupling

We study the transition from the amplitude death (AD) to the oscillation death (OD) state in limit-cycle oscillators coupled through mean-field diffusion. We show that this coupling scheme can induce an important transition from AD to OD even in identical limit cycle oscillators. We identify a parameter region where OD and a nontrivial AD (NTAD) state coexist. This NTAD state is unique in comparison with AD owing to the fact that it is created by a subcritical pitchfork bifurcation and parameter mismatch does not support this state, but destroys it. We extend our study to a network of mean-field coupled oscillators to show that the transition scenario is preserved and the oscillators form a two-cluster state.

Diverse routes of transition from amplitude to oscillation death in coupled oscillators under additional repulsive links

We report the existence of diverse routes of transition from amplitude death to oscillation death in three different diffusively coupled systems, which are perturbed by a symmetry breaking repulsive coupling link. For limit-cycle systems the transition is through a pitchfork bifurcation, as has been noted before, but in chaotic systems it can be through a saddle-node or a transcritical bifurcation depending on the nature of the underlying dynamics of the individual systems. The diversity of the routes and their dependence on the complex dynamics of the coupled systems not only broadens our understanding of this important phenomenon but can lead to potentially new practical applications.