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| For a network of generic oscillators with nonlocal topology and symmetry-breaking coupling we establish novel partially coherent inhomogeneous spatial patterns, which combine the features of chimera states (coexisting incongruous coherent and incoherent domains) and oscillation death (oscillation suppression), which we call chimera death. We show that due to the interplay of nonlocality and breaking of rotational symmetry by the coupling two distinct scenarios from oscillatory behavior to a stationary state regime are possible: a transition from an amplitude chimera to chimera death via in-phase synchronized oscillations, and a direct abrupt transition for larger coupling strength. Since we consider a generic model of coupled self-sustained oscillators, and networks are found in diverse areas of physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering, our results can be applied to a wide class of systems ranging from laser models, communication networks and power grids to biological networks. We believe that they are of particular importance for the life sciences. For instance, these peculiar hybrid states may account for the observation of partial synchrony in neural activity, like unihemispheric sleep etc. |
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