Sync and Swarm: Solvable Model of Nonidentical Swarmalators

We study a model of nonidentical swarmalators, generalizations of phase oscillators that both sync in time and swarm in space. The model produces four collective states: asynchrony, sync clusters, vortexlike phase waves, and a mixed state. These states occur in many real-world swarmalator systems such as biological microswimmers, chemical nanomotors, and groups of drones. A generalized Ott-Antonsen ansatz provides the first analytic description of these states and conditions for their existence. We show how this approach may be used in studies of active matter and related disciplines.

Automated summary

This article studies a model of nonidentical swarmalators, which are generalizations of phase oscillators that sync in time and swarm in space. The article introduces four collective states produced by the model and their applications, and proposes a generalized hypothesis that provides the first analytic description and conditions for the existence of these states.