Asynchronous updating induces order in threshold coupled systems

Abstract

We study a class of models incorporating threshold-activated coupling on a lattice of chaotic elements, evolving under updating rules incorporating varying degrees of synchronicity. Interestingly, we observe that asynchronous updating, both random and sequential, yields more spatiotemporal order than parallel (synchronous) updating. Further, the order induced by random asynchronous updating is very robust and occurs even for small asynchronicities in the temporal evolution of the local dynamics. So this case study suggests a very different mechanism for inducing regularity in extended systems.