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Synchronization. Chris Jernigan a nd Danielle Edgeworth. What is Synchronization?. timekeeping which requires the coordination of events to operate a system in unison oscillators fire at an accelerated rate until all are firing. ( Strogatz ). How Synchrony Occurs.
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Synchronization Chris Jernigan and Danielle Edgeworth
What is Synchronization? • timekeeping which requires the coordination of events to operate a system in unison • oscillators fire at an accelerated rate until all are firing (Strogatz)
How Synchrony Occurs • A threshold exists at which an event occurs • The event is sensitive to similar event in it’s surroundings • Positive feedback, negative feedback, or alteration completely (Strogatz)
Fireflies flashing • Synchronization is observed to occur in some species of fireflies (Strogatz) (Nature.com)
Fireflies: How and Why? • How do they synchronize? • Want to be the first to flash? synchrony • Feedback Positive or negative Alters rate and thus leads to synchrony • Why would they want to synchronize? Why would this evolve? • Attract mates to one location difficult to find a mate in a thick forest when all you have is a glowing abdomen • Trick a partner trying to mate with your neighbor? (Strogatz)
Cardiac Pacemakers • each oscillator rises toward threshold until the result is synchronized (Strogatz)
Crickets • Similar to fireflies, one cricket will start it’s chirp and before long there will be a chorus of chirps • Though the do not have a “flash-control pacemaker” (Strogatz)
Sleep/daily Life (Strogatz)
Circadian cycle • “Biological clock” • zombie zone • forbidden zone • nap phase (Strogatz)
Women and Menstrual Cycles • Women who are very close seem to sync their menstrual cycles Run! They’ve synchronized! (Strogatz)
Women: How and Why? • How do they synchronize or adapt to one another’s menstrual cycles? • In various studies have shown that sweat some kind of chemical signal that alters menstrual cycles • Why would it be beneficial for this to evolve? • Co-care of offspring? • Care if mother were to die…. etc… (Strogatz)
References • Mirollo, R.E. and Strogatz S.H. 1990. Synchronization of Pulse-Coupled Biological Oscillators. SIAM J. Appl. Math. 40(6). P 1645-1662 • Strogatz, S. Living Sync.