Dynamics of swarmalators in the presence of a contrarian

Abstract: Swarmalators are entities that combine the swarming behavior of particles with the oscillatory dynamics of coupled phase oscillators and represent a novel and rich area of study within the field of complex systems. Unlike traditional models that treat spatial movement and phase synchronization separately, swarmalators exhibit a unique coupling between their positions and internal phases, leading to emergent behaviors that include clustering, pattern formation, and the coexistence of synchronized and desynchronized states etc. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of a two-dimensional swarmalator model in the presence of a predator-like agent that we call a contrarian. The positions and the phases of the swarmalators are influenced by the contrarian and we observe the emergence of intriguing collective states. We find that swarmalator phases are synchronized even with negative coupling strength when their interaction with the contrarian is comparatively strong. Through a combination of analytical methods and simulations, we demonstrate how varying these parameters can lead to transitions between different collective states.