Subordination to periodic processes and synchronization

We study the subordination to a process that is periodic in the natural time scale, and equivalent to a clock with N states. The rationale for this investigation is given by a set of many interacting clocks with N states. The natural time scale representation corresponds to the dynamics of an individual clock with no interaction with the other clocks of this set. We argue that the cooperation among the clocks of this set has the effect of generating a global clock, whose times of sojourn in each of its N states are described by a distribution density with an inverse power law form and power index μ < 2. This is equivalent to extending the widely used subordination method from fluctuation–dissipation processes to periodic processes, thereby raising the question of whether special conditions exist of perfect synchronization, signaled by regular oscillations, and especially by oscillations with no damping. We study first the case of a Poisson subordination function. We show that in spite of the random nature of the subordination method the procedure has the effect of creating damped oscillations, whose damping vanishes in the limiting case of N 1, thereby suggesting a condition of perfect synchronization in this limit. The Bateman’smathematical arguments [H. Bateman, Higher Transcendental Functions, vol. III, Robert K Krieger, Publishing Company, Inc. Krim.Fr. Drive Malabar, FL; Copyright 1953 by McGraw-Hill Book Company Inc.] indicate that the condition of perfect synchronization is possible also in the non-Poisson case, with μ < 2, although it may lie beyond the range of computer simulation. To make the theoretical predictions accessible to numerical simulation, we use a subordination function whose survival probability is a Mittag–Leffler exponential function. Thismethodprevents us fromdirectly establishing the macroscopic coherence emerging fromμ = 2, which generates a perfect form of 1/f noise. However, it affords indirect evidence that perfect synchronization signaled by undamped regular oscillations may be produced in this case. Furthermore, we explore a condition characterized by an excellent agreement between theory and numerical simulation, where the long-time region relaxation,with a perfect inverse power lawdecay, emerging from the subordination to ordinary fluctuation–dissipation processes, is replaced by exponentially damped regular oscillations. Published by Elsevier B.V.