Study of interaction and complete merging of binary cyclones using complex networks.

Cyclones are among the most hazardous extreme weather events on Earth. In certain scenarios, two co-rotating cyclones in close proximity to one another can drift closer and completely merge into a single cyclonic system. Identifying the dynamic transitions during such an interaction period of binary cyclones and predicting the complete merger (CM) event are challenging for weather forecasters. In this work, we suggest an innovative approach to understand the evolving vortical interactions between the cyclones during two such CM events (Noru-Kulap and Seroja-Odette) using time-evolving induced velocity-based unweighted directed networks. We find that network-based indicators, namely, in-degree and out-degree, quantify the changes in the interaction between the two cyclones and are excellent candidates to classify the interaction stages before a CM. The network indicators also help to identify the dominant cyclone during the period of interaction and quantify the variation of the strength of the dominating and merged cyclones. Finally, we show that the network measures also provide an early indication of the CM event well before its occurrence.

Recurrence analysis of slow-fast systems.

Many complex systems exhibit periodic oscillations comprising slow-fast timescales. In such slow-fast systems, the slow and fast timescales compete to determine the dynamics. In this study, we perform a recurrence analysis on simulated signals from paradigmatic model systems as well as signals obtained from experiments, each of which exhibit slow-fast oscillations. We find that slow-fast systems exhibit characteristic patterns along the diagonal lines in the corresponding recurrence plot (RP). We discern that the hairpin trajectories in the phase space lead to the formation of line segments perpendicular to the diagonal line in the RP for a periodic signal. Next, we compute the recurrence networks (RNs) of these slow-fast systems and uncover that they contain additional features such as clustering and protrusions on top of the closed-ring structure. We show that slow-fast systems and single timescale systems can be distinguished by computing the distance between consecutive state points on the phase space trajectory and the degree of the nodes in the RNs. Such a recurrence analysis substantially strengthens our understanding of slow-fast systems, which do not have any accepted functional forms.

Synchronization transition from chaos to limit cycle oscillations when a locally coupled chaotic oscillator grid is coupled globally to another chaotic oscillator.

Some physical systems with interacting chaotic subunits, when synchronized, exhibit a dynamical transition from chaos to limit cycle oscillations via intermittency such as during the onset of oscillatory instabilities that occur due to feedback between various subsystems in turbulent flows. We depict such a transition from chaos to limit cycle oscillations via intermittency when a grid of chaotic oscillators is coupled diffusively with a dissimilar chaotic oscillator. Toward this purpose, we demonstrate the occurrence of such a transition to limit cycle oscillations in a grid of locally coupled non-identical Rössler oscillators bidirectionally coupled with a chaotic Van der Pol oscillator. Further, we report the existence of symmetry breaking phenomena such as chimera states and solitary states during this transition from desynchronized chaos to synchronized periodicity. We also identify the temporal route for such a synchronization transition from desynchronized chaos to generalized synchronization via intermittent phase synchronization followed by chaotic synchronization and phase synchronization. Further, we report the loss of multifractality and loss of scale-free behavior in the time series of the chaotic Van der Pol oscillator and the mean field time series of the Rössler system. Such behavior has been observed during the onset of oscillatory instabilities in thermoacoustic, aeroelastic, and aeroacoustic systems. This model can be used to perform inexpensive numerical control experiments to suppress synchronization and thereby to mitigate unwanted oscillations in physical systems.

Dynamical systems approach to study thermoacoustic transitions in a liquid rocket combustor.

Liquid rockets are prone to large amplitude oscillations, commonly referred to as thermoacoustic instability. This phenomenon causes unavoidable developmental setbacks and poses a stern challenge to accomplish the mission objectives. Thermoacoustic instability arises due to the nonlinear interaction between the acoustic and the reactive flow subsystems in the combustion chamber. In this paper, we adopt tools from dynamical systems and complex systems theory to understand the dynamical transitions from a state of stable operation to thermoacoustic instability in a self-excited model multielement liquid rocket combustor based on an oxidizer rich staged combustion cycle. We observe that this transition to thermoacoustic instability occurs through a sequence of bursts of large amplitude periodic oscillations. Furthermore, we show that the acoustic pressure oscillations in the combustor pertain to different dynamical states. In contrast to a simple limit cycle oscillation, we show that the system dynamics switches between period-3 and period-4 oscillations during the state of thermoacoustic instability. We show several measures based on recurrence quantification analysis and multifractal theory, which can diagnose the dynamical transitions occurring in the system. We find that these measures are more robust than the existing measures in distinguishing the dynamical state of a rocket engine. Furthermore, these measures can be used to validate models and computational fluid dynamics simulations, aiming to characterize the performance and stability of rockets.

Bursting and mixed mode oscillations during the transition to limit cycle oscillations in a matrix burner.

We investigate the route to self-excited thermoacoustic instability in a laminar flow multiple flame matrix burner. With an increase in the equivalence ratio, the thermoacoustic system that is initially quiet (stable operation) transitions to limit cycle oscillations through two distinct dynamical states, namely, bursting oscillations and mixed mode oscillations. The acoustic pressure oscillations transition from quiescence to large amplitudes during bursting oscillations. Such high amplitude bursting oscillations that occur well ahead of the onset of limit cycle oscillations can potentially cause structural damage. The thermoacoustic system exhibits hysteresis. The transition to limit cycle oscillations is replicated in a phenomenological model containing slow-fast time scales.