1
Return

Quantized Frequency-locking and Extreme Transitions in a Ring of Phase Oscillators with Three-Body Interactions

delete2026-07-31
delete0
delete
OA
AI
J
Jinfeng Liang
S
Shanshan Zhu
Y
Yang Li *
Q
Qionglin Dai *
H
Haihong Li
J
Junzhong Yang *
DOI:10.1038/s42005-026-02783-5delete
deleteOriginal
deleteOriginal request for help
deleteShare
deleteSave
Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Synchronization phenomena in systems with higher-order interactions have attracted widespread attention. However, existing studies have mainly focused on simplicial interactions in globally coupled networks or complex topologies, which inherently conflate pairwise and higher-order contributions and lack a minimal model to isolate the distinct dynamical effects of higher-order interactions. Here we report a spectrum of exotic frequency-locked states in a ring of phase oscillators with pure three-body interactions. For identical oscillators, the system hosts a vast multiplicity of stable quantized frequency-locked states without phase coherence. Introducing frequency heterogeneity broadens each quantized level into a continuous band and drives an extreme second-order transition at a critical value: below which the entire population locks to a collective phase velocity; above which a desynchronous state emerges, characterized by strongly localized bursts on a slowly varying background. This work introduces a ring of oscillators with pure three-body interactions to explore synchronization beyond pairwise coupling. Quantized frequency-locked states exist without phase coherence for identical oscillators, and at a critical heterogeneity an extreme second-order transition from phase locking to a desynchronous state occurs.

Journal

Communications Physics cover
Communications Physics
IF:
5.8
Papers:
2.7K
Citations:
9.2K

Organization

S
School of Physical Science and Technology
Scholars:
301
Papers: 127
Citations: 6
S
School of Mathematics and Statistics
Scholars:
789
Papers: 426
Citations: 0
Cited Papers

Cited Papers

Citing Papers

Citing Papers