Topological defects law for migrating banded vegetation patterns in arid climates.

Self-organization and pattern formation are ubiquitous processes in nature. We study the properties of migrating banded vegetation patterns in arid landscapes, usually presenting dislocation topological defects. Vegetation patterns with dislocations are investigated in three different ecosystems. We show through remote sensing data analysis and theoretical modeling that the number of dislocations N(x) decreases in space according to the law N ∼ log(x/B)/x, where x is the coordinate in the opposite direction to the water flow and B is a suitable constant. A sloped topography explains the origin of banded vegetation patterns with permanent dislocations. Theoretically, we considered well-established approaches to describe vegetation patterns. All the models support the law. This contrasts with the common belief that the dynamics of dislocations are transient. In addition, regimes with a constant distribution of defects in space are predicted. We analyze the different regimes depending on the aridity level and water flow speed. The reported decay law of defects can warn of imminent ecosystem collapse.

Effect of heterogeneous environmental conditions on labyrinthine vegetation patterns.

Self-organization is a ubiquitous phenomenon in Nature due to the permanent balance between injection and dissipation of energy. The wavelength selection process is the main issue of pattern formation. Stripe, hexagon, square, and labyrinthine patterns are observed in homogeneous conditions. In systems with heterogeneous conditions, a single wavelength is not the rule. Large-scale self-organization of vegetation in arid environments can be affected by heterogeneities, such as interannual precipitation fluctuations, fire occurrences, topographic variations, grazing, soil depth distribution, and soil-moisture islands. Here, we investigate theoretically the emergence and persistence of vegetation labyrinthine patterns in ecosystems under deterministic heterogeneous conditions. Based on a simple local vegetation model with a space-varying parameter, we show evidence of perfect and imperfect labyrinthine patterns, as well as disordered vegetation self-organization. The intensity level and the correlation of the heterogeneities control the regularity of the labyrinthine self-organization. The phase diagram and the transitions of the labyrinthine morphologies are described with the aid of their global spatial features. We also investigate the local spatial structure of labyrinths. Our theoretical findings qualitatively agree with satellite images data of arid ecosystems that show labyrinthinelike textures without a single wavelength.

Breathing of dissipative light bullets of nonlinear polarization mode in Kerr resonators.

We demonstrate the existence of breathing dissipative light bullets in a birefringent optical resonator filled with Kerr media. The propagation of light inside the cavity for each polarized component, which is coupled by cross-phase modulation, is described by the coupled Lugiato-Lefever equations. The space-time dynamics of breathing light bullets are described using Stokes parameters and frequency spectra.

Localized states with nontrivial symmetries: Localized labyrinthine patterns.

The formation of self-organized patterns and localized states are ubiquitous in Nature. Localized states containing trivial symmetries such as stripes, hexagons, or squares have been profusely studied. Disordered patterns with nontrivial symmetries such as labyrinthine patterns are observed in different physical contexts. Here we report stable localized disordered patterns in spatially extended dissipative systems. These two- and three-dimensional localized structures consist of an isolated labyrinth embedded in a homogeneous steady state. Their partial bifurcation diagram allows us to explain this phenomenon as a manifestation of a pinning-depinning transition. We illustrate our findings on the Swift-Hohenberg-type of equations and other well-established models for plant ecology, nonlinear optics, and reaction-diffusion systems.

Localised labyrinthine patterns in ecosystems.

Self-organisation is a ubiquitous phenomenon in ecosystems. These systems can experience transitions from a uniform cover towards the formation of vegetation patterns as a result of symmetry-breaking instability. They can be either periodic or localised in space. Localised vegetation patterns consist of more or less circular spots or patches that can be either isolated or randomly distributed in space. We report on a striking patterning phenomenon consisting of localised vegetation labyrinths. This intriguing pattern is visible in satellite photographs taken in many territories of Africa and Australia. They consist of labyrinths which is spatially irregular pattern surrounded by either a homogeneous cover or a bare soil. The phenomenon is not specific to particular plants or soils. They are observed on strictly homogenous environmental conditions on flat landscapes, but they are also visible on hills. The spatial size of localized labyrinth ranges typically from a few hundred meters to ten kilometres. A simple modelling approach based on the interplay between short-range and long-range interactions governing plant communities or on the water dynamics explains the observations reported here.

Dissipative Light Bullets in Kerr Cavities: Multistability, Clustering, and Rogue Waves.

We report the existence of stable dissipative light bullets in Kerr cavities. These three-dimensional (3D) localized structures consist of either an isolated light bullet (LB), bound together, or could occur in clusters forming well-defined 3D patterns. They can be seen as stationary states in the reference frame moving with the group velocity of light within the cavity. The number of LBs and their distribution in 3D settings are determined by the initial conditions, while their maximum peak power remains constant for a fixed value of the system parameters. Their bifurcation diagram allows us to explain this phenomenon as a manifestation of homoclinic snaking for dissipative light bullets. However, when the strength of the injected beam is increased, LBs lose their stability and the cavity field exhibits giant, short-living 3D pulses. The statistical characterization of pulse amplitude reveals a long tail probability distribution, indicating the occurrence of extreme events, often called rogue waves.

Patchy landscapes in arid environments: Nonlinear analysis of the interaction-redistribution model.

We consider a generic interaction-redistribution model of vegetation dynamics to investigate the formation of patchy vegetation in semi-arid and arid landscapes. First, we perform a weakly nonlinear analysis in the neighborhood of the symmetry-breaking instability. Following this analysis, we construct the bifurcation diagram of the biomass density. The weakly nonlinear analysis allows us to establish the condition under which the transition from super- to subcritical symmetry-breaking instability takes place. Second, we generate a random distribution of localized patches of vegetation numerically. This behavior occurs in regimes where a bare state coexists with a uniform biomass density. Field observations allow to estimate the total biomass density and the range of facilitative and competitive interactions.

Nonlocal Raman response in Kerr resonators: Moving temporal localized structures and bifurcation structure.

A ring resonator made of a silica-based optical fiber is a paradigmatic system for the generation of dissipative localized structures or dissipative solitons. We analyze the effect of the non-instantaneous nonlinear response of the fused silica or the Raman response on the formation of localized structures. After reducing the generalized Lugiato-Lefever to a simple and generic bistable model with a nonlocal Raman effect, we investigate analytically the formation of moving temporal localized structures. This reduction is valid close to the nascent bistability regime, where the system undergoes a second-order critical point marking the onset of a hysteresis loop. The interaction between fronts allows for the stabilization of temporal localized structures. Without the Raman effect, moving temporal localized structures do not exist, as shown in M. G. Clerc, S. Coulibaly, and M. Tlidi, Phys. Rev. Res. 2, 013024 (2020). The detailed derivation of the speed and the width associated with these structures is presented. We characterize numerically in detail the bifurcation structure and stability associated with the moving temporal localized states. The numerical results of the governing equations are in close agreement with analytical predictions.

Two-dimensional optical chimera states in an array of coupled waveguide resonators.

Two-dimensional arrays of coupled waveguides or coupled microcavities allow us to confine and manipulate light. Based on a paradigmatic envelope equation, we show that these devices, subject to a coherent optical injection, support coexistence between a coherent and incoherent emission. In this regime, we show that two-dimensional chimera states can be generated. Depending on initial conditions, the system exhibits a family of two-dimensional chimera states and interaction between them. We characterize these two-dimensional structures by computing their Lyapunov spectrum and Yorke-Kaplan dimension. Finally, we show that two-dimensional chimera states are of spatiotemporal chaotic nature.

On the repulsive interaction between localised vegetation patches in scarce environments.

Fragmentation followed by desertification in water-limited resources and/or nutrient-poor ecosystems is a major risk to the biological productivity of vegetation. By using the vegetation interaction-redistribution model, we analyse the interaction between localised vegetation patches. Here we show analytically and numerically that the interaction between two or more patches is always repulsive. As a consequence, only a single localised vegetation patch is stable, and other localised bounded states or clusters of them are unstable. Following this, we discuss the impact of the repulsive nature of the interaction on the formation and the selection of vegetation patterns in fragmented ecosystems.

Stationary localized structures and the effect of the delayed feedback in the Brusselator model.

The Brusselator reaction-diffusion model is a paradigm for the understanding of dissipative structures in systems out of equilibrium. In the first part of this paper, we investigate the formation of stationary localized structures in the Brusselator model. By using numerical continuation methods in two spatial dimensions, we establish a bifurcation diagram showing the emergence of localized spots. We characterize the transition from a single spot to an extended pattern in the form of squares. In the second part, we incorporate delayed feedback control and show that delayed feedback can induce a spontaneous motion of both localized and periodic dissipative structures. We characterize this motion by estimating the threshold and the velocity of the moving dissipative structures.This article is part of the theme issue 'Dissipative structures in matter out of equilibrium: from chemistry, photonics and biology (part 2)'.

Observation and modelling of vegetation spirals and arcs in isotropic environmental conditions: dissipative structures in arid landscapes.

We report for the first time on the formation of spirals like vegetation patterns in isotropic and uniform environmental conditions. The vegetation spirals are not waves and they do not rotate. They belong to the class of dissipative structures found out of equilibrium. Isolated or interacting spirals and arcs observed in South America (Bolivia) and North Africa (Morocco) are interpreted as a result of curvature instability that affects the circular shape of localized patches. The biomass exhibits a dynamical behaviour with arcs that transform into spirals. Interpretation of observations and of the predictions provided by the theory is illustrated by recent measurements of peculiar plant morphology (the alfa plant, or Stipa tenacissima L.) originated from northwestern Africa and the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula.This article is part of the theme issue 'Dissipative structures in matter out of equilibrium: from chemistry, photonics and biology (part 2)'.

Spontaneous motion of localized structures induced by parity symmetry breaking transition.

We consider a paradigmatic nonvariational scalar Swift-Hohenberg equation that describes short wavenumber or large wavelength pattern forming systems. This work unveils evidence of the transition from stable stationary to moving localized structures in one spatial dimension as a result of a parity breaking instability. This behavior is attributed to the nonvariational character of the model. We show that the nature of this transition is supercritical. We characterize analytically and numerically this bifurcation scenario from which emerges asymmetric moving localized structures. A generalization for two-dimensional settings is discussed.

Chimera-like states in an array of coupled-waveguide resonators.

We consider coupled-waveguide resonators subject to optical injection. The dynamics of this simple device are described by the discrete Lugiato-Lefever equation. We show that chimera-like states can be stabilized, thanks to the discrete nature of the coupled-waveguide resonators. Such chaotic localized structures are unstable in the continuous Lugiato-Lefever model; this is because of dispersive radiation from the tails of localized structures in the form of two counter-propagating fronts between the homogeneous and the complex spatiotemporal state. We characterize the formation of chimera-like states by computing the Lyapunov spectra. We show that localized states have an intermittent spatiotemporal chaotic dynamical nature. These states are generated in a parameter regime characterized by a coexistence between a uniform steady state and a spatiotemporal intermittency state.

Extended and localized Hopf-Turing mixed-mode in non-instantaneous Kerr cavities.

We investigate the spatio-temporal dynamics of a ring cavity filled with a non-instantaneous Kerr medium and driven by a coherent injected beam. We show the existence of a stable mixed-mode solution that can be either extended or localized in space. The mixed-mode solutions are obtained in a regime where Turing instability (often called modulational instability) interacts with self-pulsing phenomenon (Andronov-Hopf bifurcation). We numerically describe the transition from stationary inhomogeneous solutions to a branch of mixed-mode solutions. We characterize this transition by constructing the bifurcation diagram associated with these solutions. Finally, we show stable localized mixed-mode solutions, which consist of time-periodic oscillations that are localized in space.

Characterization of spatiotemporal chaos in a Kerr optical frequency comb and in all fiber cavities.

Complex spatiotemporal dynamics have been a subject of recent experimental investigations in optical frequency comb microresonators and in driven fiber cavities with Kerr-type media. We show that this complex behavior has a spatiotemporal chaotic nature. We determine numerically the Lyapunov spectra, allowing us to characterize different dynamical behavior occurring in these simple devices. The Yorke-Kaplan dimension is used as an order parameter to characterize the bifurcation diagram. We identify a wide regime of parameters where the system exhibits a coexistence between the spatiotemporal chaos, the oscillatory localized structure, and the homogeneous steady state. The destabilization of an oscillatory localized state through radiation of counter-propagating fronts between the homogeneous and the spatiotemporal chaotic states is analyzed. To characterize better the spatiotemporal chaos, we estimate the front speed as a function of the pump intensity.

Experimental evidence of dynamical propagation for solitary waves in ultra slow stochastic non-local Kerr medium.

We perform a statistical analysis of the optical solitary wave propagation in an ultra-slow stochastic non-local focusing Kerr medium such as liquid crystals. Our experimental results show that the localized beam trajectory presents a dynamical random walk whose beam position versus the propagation distance z depicts two different kind of evolutions A power law is found for the beam position standard deviation during the first stage of propagation. It obeys approximately z3/2 up to ten times the power threshold for solitary wave generation.

Experimental evidence of dynamical propagation for solitary waves in ultra slow stochastic non-local Kerr medium.

We perform a statistical analysis of the optical solitary wave propagation in an ultra-slow stochastic non-local focusing Kerr medium such as liquid crystals. Our experimental results show that the localized beam trajectory presents a dynamical random walk whose beam position versus the propagation distance z depicts two different kind of evolutions A power law is found for the beam position standard deviation during the first stage of propagation. It obeys approximately z3/2 up to ten times the power threshold for solitary wave generation.