CSDS seminar – Hannes Uecker – The syncreactivity of complex networks

Synchronization is a fundamental dynamical process that occurs spontaneously in both natural and technological networked systems. Though critical, the transient behavior leading to synchronization is often understudied. We introduce transverse reactivity to measure how perturbations grow or decay transiently in a network of coupled oscillators and propose an efficient coupling strategy that enhances synchronization across a wider range of coupling strengths. This approach is validated through simulations and experiments. We also examine how the network topology affects synchronization in terms of the newly introduced metric of network syncreactivity and analyze real-world networks. Our work advances theoretical insights and provides practical tools for optimizing synchronization in diverse applications.