The breakdown of synchronization in systems of nonidentical chaotic oscillators: Theory and experiment

The synchronization of chaotic systems has received a great deal of attenti on. However, most of the literature has focused on systems that possess inv ariant manifolds that persist as the coupling is varied. In this paper, we describe the process whereby synchronization is lost in systems of nonident ical coupled chaotic oscillators without special symmetries. We qualitative ly and quantitatively analyze such systems in terms of the evolution of the unstable periodic orbit structure. Our results are illustrated with data f rom physical experiments.