Direct observation of chimera-like states in a ring of coupled electronic self-oscillators

Abstract: Chimera states are characterized by the symmetry-breaking coexistence of synchronized and incoherent groups of oscillators in certain chains of identical oscillators. We report on the direct experimental observation of states reminiscent of such chimeras within a ring of coupled electronic (Wien-bridge) oscillators, and compare these to numerical simulations of a theoretically derived model. Following up on earlier work characterizing the pairwise interaction of Wien-bridge oscillators by Kuramoto-Sakaguchi phase dynamics, we develop a lattice model for a chain thereof, featuring an {\it exponentially decaying} spatial kernel. We find that for certain values of the Sakaguchi parameter $\alpha$, chimera-like states involving the coexistence of two clearly-separated regions of distinct dynamical behavior can establish themselves in the ring lattice, characterized by both traveling and stationary coexistence domains of synchronization.