COUPLED CHAOTIC CHEMICAL OSCILLATORS

We present a model study of two mass-coupled reactors containing the B elousov-Zhabotinsky reaction under chaotic conditions. The critical co upling strength is estimated for symmetry breaking when two identical low flow rate chaotic modes are coupled. Our results confirm that the critical coupling strength is directly proportional to the maximum Lya punov exponent of the uncoupled system. The constant of proportionalit y is found to be somewhat larger than the theoretical value. Direct in tegration reveals a rich structure of dynamical behavior when the coup ling strength and the how rate in one cell are varied. Our simulations reveal domains of oscillator death, in which a stable steady state co exists with Limit cycle oscillations. We introduce a simple model for predicting the dynamics of the coupled system from the dynamical behav ior of the uncoupled subsystems and the dependence on the coupling str ength of the Hopf bifurcation of the coupled system. The model gives g ood estimates of the dynamical behavior of two coupled oscillators wit h a small difference in one parameter at intermediate and high couplin g strengths.