Global Analysis of Synchronization in Coupled Maps

We introduce a new method for determining the global stability of synchronization in systems of coupled identical maps. The method is based on the study of invariant measures. Besides the simplest non-trivial example, namely two symmetrically coupled tent maps, we also treat the case of two asymmetrically coupled tent maps as well as a globally coupled network. Our main result is the identification of the precise value of the coupling parameter where the synchronizing and desynchronizing transitions take place.