FREQUENCY CLUSTERING IN A CHAIN OF WEAKLY COUPLED OSCILLATORS

A numerical simulation of a chain of diffusively coupled nonlinear oscillators with a linear parameter gradient exhibits clusters of frequencies. The intention was to investigate the frequency-gradient in the stimulus conduction system of the heart. The phenomenon generalizes earlier findings on "frequency plateaus" described in the 1960's by Nicholas Diamant as a model of small-intestine transport. This "waxing and waining" phenomenon is a version of chaos. Thus, subtle chaos in the heart and waxing and waining type chaos in the intestine may be related.