Partial synchronization and community switching in phase-oscillator networks and its analysis based on a bidirectional, weighted chain of three oscillators

Complex networks often possess communities defined based on network connectivity. When dynamics undergo in a network, one can also consider dynamical communities, i.e., a group of nodes displaying a similar dynamical process. We have investigated both analytically and numerically the development of a dynamical community structure, where the community is referred to as a group of nodes synchronized in frequency, in networks of phase oscillators. We first demonstrate that using a few example networks, the community structure changes when network connectivity or interaction strength is varied. In particular, we found that community switching, i.e., a portion of oscillators change the group to which they synchronize, occurs for a range of parameters. We then propose a three-oscillator model: a bidirectional, weighted chain of three Kuramoto phase oscillators, as a theoretical framework for understanding the community formation and its variation. Our analysis demonstrates that the model shows a variety of partially synchronized patterns: oscillators with similar natural frequencies tend to synchronize for weak coupling, while tightly connected oscillators tend to synchronize for strong coupling. We obtain approximate expressions for the critical coupling strengths by employing a perturbative approach in a weak coupling regime and a geometric approach in strong coupling regimes. Moreover, we elucidate the bifurcation types of transitions between different patterns. Our theory might be useful for understanding the development of partially synchronized patterns in a wider class of complex networks than community structured networks. © 2023 American Physical Society.