MULTISTABILITY IN COUPLED OSCILLATOR-SYSTEMS WITH TIME-DELAY

We analyze the dynamic behavior of coupled oscillators with time-delay ed interaction under a pinning force. With intermediate delay times th e system shows multistability of synchronized and desynchronized state s. In the synchronized states there are multiple states with different collective frequencies showing hysteresis as the pinning force increa ses and decreases. In the desynchronized states the oscillators are di stributed almost uniformly. The multistability presents a possible mec hanism of the perception of ambiguous or reversible figures.