Attractive-Repulsive Challenge in Swarmalators with Time-Dependent Speed

We examine a network of entities whose internal and external dynamics are intricately coupled, modeled through the concept of “swarmalators” as introduced by O’Keeffe et al. [1]. We investigate how the entities’ natural velocities impact the network’s collective dynamics and path to synchronization. Specifically, we analyze two scenarios: one in which each entity has an individual natural velocity, and another where a group velocity is defined by the average of all velocities. Our findings reveal two distinct forms of phase synchronization—static and rotational—each preceded by a series of states where attractive or repulsive interaction dominates the movement of the entities. This interaction phase, which depends sensitively on initial conditions, allows for selective modulation within the network. By adjusting initial parameters, we can isolate specific entities to experience attractive-repulsive interactions distinct from the group, prior to the onset of full synchronization. This nuanced dependency on initial conditions offers valuable insights into the role of natural velocities in tuning synchronization behavior within coupled dynamic networks.