Showing papers by "Edward Ott published in 2013"

Predictability and suppression of extreme events in a chaotic system.

Abstract: In many complex systems, large events are believed to follow power-law, scale-free probability distributions so that the extreme, catastrophic events are unpredictable. Here, we study coupled chaotic oscillators that display extreme events. The mechanism responsible for the rare, largest events makes them distinct, and their distribution deviates from a power law. On the basis of this mechanism identification, we show that it is possible to forecast in real time an impending extreme event. Once forecasted, we also show that extreme events can be suppressed by applying tiny perturbations to the system.

Predicting the statistics of wave transport through chaotic cavities by the Random Coupling Model: a review and recent progress

Abstract: In this review, a model (the Random Coupling Model) that gives a statistical description of the coupling of radiation into and out of large enclosures through localized and/or distributed channels is presented. The Random Coupling Model combines both deterministic and statistical phenomena. The model makes use of wave chaos theory to extend the classical modal description of the cavity fields in the presence of boundaries that lead to chaotic ray trajectories. The model is based on a clear separation between the universal statistical behavior of the isolated chaotic system, and the deterministic coupling channel characteristics. Moreover, the ability of the random coupling model to describe interconnected cavities, aperture coupling, and the effects of short ray trajectories is discussed. A relation between the random coupling model and other formulations adopted in acoustics, optics, and statistical electromagnetics, is examined. In particular, a rigorous analogy of the random coupling model with the Statistical Energy Analysis used in acoustics is presented.

Robustness of network measures to link errors.

Abstract: In various applications involving complex networks, network measures are employed to assess the relative importance of network nodes. However, the robustness of such measures in the presence of link inaccuracies has not been well characterized. Here we present two simple stochastic models of false and missing links and study the effect of link errors on three commonly used node centrality measures: degree centrality, betweenness centrality, and dynamical importance. We perform numerical simulations to assess robustness of these three centrality measures. We also develop an analytical theory, which we compare with our simulations, obtaining very good agreement.

Nonlinear time reversal of classical waves: experiment and model.

Abstract: We consider time reversal of electromagnetic waves in a closed, wave-chaotic system containing a discrete, passive, harmonic-generating nonlinearity. An experimental system is constructed as a time-reversal mirror, in which excitations generated by the nonlinearity are gathered, time-reversed, transmitted, and directed exclusively to the location of the nonlinearity. Here we show that such nonlinear objects can be purely passive (as opposed to the active nonlinearities used in previous work), and we develop a higher data rate exclusive communication system based on nonlinear time reversal. A model of the experimental system is developed, using a star-graph network of transmission lines, with one of the lines terminated by a model diode. The model simulates time reversal of linear and nonlinear signals, demonstrates features seen in the experimental system, and supports our interpretation of the experimental results.

Robustness of Network Measures to Link Errors

Abstract: In various applications involving complex networks, network measures are employed to assess the relative importance of network nodes. However, the robustness of such measures in the presence of link inaccuracies has not been well characterized. Here we present two simple stochastic models of false and missing links and study the effect of link errors on three commonly used node centrality measures: degree centrality, betweenness centrality, and dynamical importance. We perform numerical simulations to assess robustness of these three centrality measures. We also develop an analytical theory, which we compare with our simulations, obtaining very good agreement.

Phase and amplitude dynamics in large systems of coupled oscillators: growth heterogeneity, nonlinear frequency shifts, and cluster states.

Abstract: This paper addresses the behavior of large systems of heterogeneous, globally coupled oscillators each of which is described by the generic Landau-Stuart equation, which incorporates both phase and amplitude dynamics of individual oscillators. One goal of our paper is to investigate the effect of a spread in the amplitude growth parameter of the oscillators and of the effect of a homogeneous nonlinear frequency shift. Both of these effects are of potential relevance to recently reported experiments. Our second goal is to gain further understanding of the macroscopic system dynamics at large coupling strength, and its dependence on the nonlinear frequency shift parameter. It is proven that at large coupling strength, if the nonlinear frequency shift parameter is below a certain value, then there is a unique attractor for which the oscillators all clump at a single amplitude and uniformly rotating phase (we call this a single-cluster “locked state”). Using a combination of analytical and numerical methods, we show that at higher values of the nonlinear frequency shift parameter, the single-cluster locked state attractor continues to exist, but other types of coexisting attractors emerge. These include two-cluster locked states, periodic orbits, chaotic orbits, and quasiperiodic orbits.

Quantifying volume changing perturbations in a wave chaotic system

Abstract: A sensor was developed to quantitatively measure perturbations which change the volume of a wave chaotic cavity while leaving its shape intact. The sensors work in the time domain by using either scattering fidelity of the transmitted signals or time-reversal mirrors. The sensors were tested experimentally by inducing volume changing perturbations to a 1 m3 mixed chaotic and regular billiard system. Perturbations that caused a volume change that is as small as 54 parts in a million were quantitatively measured. These results were obtained by using electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of about 5 cm; therefore, the sensor is sensitive to extreme sub-wavelength changes of the boundaries of a cavity. The experimental results were compared with finite difference time-domain simulation results, and good agreement was found. Furthermore, the sensor was tested using a frequency-domain approach on a numerical model of the star graph, which is a representative wave chaotic system. These results open up interesting applications such as: monitoring the spatial uniformity of the temperature of a homogeneous cavity during heating up/cooling down procedures, verifying the uniform displacement of a fluid inside a wave chaotic cavity by another fluid, etc.

Weakly Explosive Percolation in Directed Networks

Abstract: Percolation, the formation of a macroscopic connected component, is a key feature in the description of complex networks. The dynamical properties of a variety of systems can be understood in terms of percolation, including the robustness of power grids and information networks, the spreading of epidemics and forest fires, and the stability of gene regulatory networks. Recent studies have shown that if network edges are added "competitively" in undirected networks, the onset of percolation is abrupt or "explosive." The unusual qualitative features of this phase transition have been the subject of much recent attention. Here we generalize this previously studied network growth process from undirected networks to directed networks and use finite-size scaling theory to find several scaling exponents. We find that this process is also characterized by a very rapid growth in the giant component, but that this growth is not as sudden as in undirected networks.

Impedance and Scattering Variance Ratios of Complicated Wave Scattering Systems in the Low Loss Regime

Abstract: Random matrix theory (RMT) successfully predicts universal statistical properties of complicated wave scattering systems in the semiclassical limit, while the random coupling model offers a complete statistical model with a simple additive formula in terms of impedance to combine the predictions of RMT and nonuniversal system-specific features. The statistics of measured wave properties generally have nonuniversal features. However, ratios of the variances of elements of the impedance matrix are predicted to be independent of such nonuniversal features and thus should be universal functions of the overall system loss. In contrast with impedance variance ratios, scattering variance ratios depends on nonuniversal features unless the system is in the high loss regime. In this paper, we present numerical tests of the predicted universal impedance variance ratios and show that an insufficient sample size can lead to apparent deviation from the theory, particularly in the low loss regime. Experimental tests are carried out in three two-port microwave cavities with varied loss parameters, including a novel experimental system with a superconducting microwave billiard, to test the variance-ratio predictions in the low loss time-reversal-invariant regime. It is found that the experimental results agree with the theoretical predictions to the extent permitted by the finite sample size.

Modeling and Measuring Signal Relay in Noisy Directed Migration of Cell Groups

Abstract: We develop a coarse-grained stochastic model for the influence of signal relay on the collective behavior of migrating Dictyostelium discoideum cells. In the experiment, cells display a range of collective migration patterns, including uncorrelated motion, formation of partially localized streams, and clumping, depending on the type of cell and the strength of the external, linear concentration gradient of the signaling molecule cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). From our model, we find that the pattern of migration can be quantitatively described by the competition of two processes, the secretion rate of cAMP by the cells and the degradation rate of cAMP in the gradient chamber. Model simulations are compared to experiments for a wide range of strengths of an external linear-gradient signal. With degradation, the model secreting cells form streams and efficiently transverse the gradient, but without degradation, we find that model secreting cells form clumps without streaming. This indicates that the observed effective collective migration in streams requires not only signal relay but also degradation of the signal. In addition, our model allows us to detect and quantify precursors of correlated motion, even when cells do not exhibit obvious streaming.

Modeling the Dynamics of Bivalent Histone Modifications

Abstract: Epigenetic modifications to histones may promote either activation or repression of the transcription of nearby genes. Recent experimental studies show that the promoters of many lineage-control genes in stem cells have “bivalent domains” in which the nucleosomes contain both active (H3K4me3) and repressive (H3K27me3) marks. It is generally agreed that bivalent domains play an important role in stem cell differentiation, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here we formulate a mathematical model to investigate the dynamic properties of histone modification patterns. We then illustrate that our modeling framework can be used to capture key features of experimentally observed combinatorial chromatin states.

Spatially embedded growing small-world networks

Abstract: Networks in nature are often formed within a spatial domain in a dynamical manner, gaining links and nodes as they develop over time. We propose a class of spatially-based growing network models and investigate the relationship between the resulting statistical network properties and the dimension and topology of the space in which the networks are embedded. In particular, we consider models in which nodes are placed one by one in random locations in space, with each such placement followed by configuration relaxation toward uniform node density, and connection of the new node with spatially nearby nodes. We find that such growth processes naturally result in networks with small-world features, including a short characteristic path length and nonzero clustering. These properties do not appear to depend strongly on the topology of the embedding space, but do depend strongly on its dimension; higher-dimensional spaces result in shorter path lengths but less clustering.

Modeling the dynamics of bivalent histone modifications

Abstract: Epigenetic modifications to histones may promote either activation or repression of the transcription of nearby genes. Recent experimental studies show that the promoters of many lineage-control genes in stem cells have "bivalent domains" in which the nucleosomes contain both active (H3K4me3) and repressive (H3K27me3) marks. It is generally agreed that bivalent domains play an important role in stem cell differentiation, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here we formulate a mathematical model to investigate the dynamic properties of histone modification patterns. We then illustrate that our modeling framework can be used to capture key features of experimentally observed combinatorial chromatin states.

Statistical model of short wavelength transport through cavities with coexisting chaotic and regular ray trajectories.

Abstract: We study the statistical properties of the impedance matrix (related to the scattering matrix) describing the input-output properties of waves in cavities in which ray trajectories that are regular and chaotic coexist (i.e., "mixed" systems). The impedance can be written as a summation over eigenmodes where the eigenmodes can typically be classified as either regular or chaotic. By appropriate characterizations of regular and chaotic contributions, we obtain statistical predictions for the impedance. We then test these predictions by comparison with numerical calculations for a specific cavity shape, obtaining good agreement.

Dynamic localization of a weakly interacting Bose-Einstein condensate in an anharmonic potential

Abstract: We investigate the effect of anharmonicity and interactions on the dynamics of an initially Gaussian wave packet in a weakly anharmonic potential. We note that, depending on the strength and sign of interactions and anharmonicity, the quantum state can be either localized or delocalized in the potential. We formulate a classical model of this phenomenon and compare it to quantum simulations done for a self-consistent potential given by the Gross-Pitaevskii equation.

Random coupling model for the radiation of irregular apertures

Abstract: In this paper, we propose and investigate the radiation of chaotic apertures. It is assumed that an aperture is wide and its geometry is irregular enough to infer a random behavior of the tangential field, that is expanded in chaotic modes. Particular emphasis is devoted to the calculation of the freespace aperture admittance matrix, whose element average takes a simple closed-form expression. The radiation admittance matrix is found to be purely diagonal at relatively short-wavelength, and it exhibits unusual frequency behavior. The extreme scenario of a chaotic aperture radiating inside a chaotic cavity is analyzed by the random coupling model. Transmitted power distribution is generated in various loss conditions, upon oblique planewave excitation of the aperture. It is found that cavity loss and number of aperture modes influence symmetry and fluctuation law of the transmitted power distribution. Obtained results offer a mathematical framework for the physical understanding of scattering in extremely complicated environments, mode-stirred reverberation chambers, wireless channels, radar traces, and statistical optics.

Uncovering interference paths in complex environments with the random coupling model

Abstract: The electromagnetic stress onto circuitry inside enclosures is a complicated process made of several coupling paths originated by multiple sources. Those sources are treated as equivalent apertures, and the cavity is assumed to have irregular boundaries. Then, a statistical description relying on wave-chaos theory is more appropriate to describe the coupling process. The Gibbs maximum entropy principle is adopted to derive the probability density function of the single aperture power stressing onto a port arbitrarily located inside the enclosure. Achieved results can be used to estimate the number of coupling paths between interconnected environments.

Dynamic Localization of Interacting Particles in an Anharmonic Potential

Abstract: We investigate the effect of anharmonicity and interactions on the dynamics of an initially Gaussian wavepacket in a weakly anharmonic potential. We note that depending on the strength and sign of interactions and anharmonicity, the quantum state can be either localized or delocalized in the potential. We formulate a classical model of this phenomenon and compare it to quantum simulations done for a self consistent potential given by the Gross-Pitaevskii Equation.

Phase and Amplitude Dynamics in Large Systems of Coupled Oscillators: Growth Heterogeneity, Nonlinear Frequency Shifts and Cluster States

Abstract: This paper addresses the behavior of large systems of heterogeneous, globally coupled oscillators each of which is described by the generic Landau-Stuart equation, which incorporates both phase and amplitude dynamics of individual oscillators. One goal of our paper is to investigate the effect of a spread in the amplitude growth parameter of the oscillators and of the effect of a homogeneous nonlinear frequency shift. Both of these effects are of potential relevance to recently reported experiments. Our second goal is to gain further understanding of the macroscopic system dynamics at large coupling strength, and its dependence on the nonlinear frequency shift parameter. It is proven that at large coupling strength, if the nonlinear frequency shift parameter is below a certain value, then there is a unique attractor for which the oscillators all clump at a single amplitude and uniformly rotating phase (we call this a single-cluster "locked state"). Using a combination of analytical and numerical methods, we show that at higher values of the nonlinear frequency shift parameter, the single-cluster locked state attractor continues to exist, but other types of coexisting attractors emerge. These include two-cluster locked states, periodic orbits, chaotic orbits, and quasiperiodic orbits.