Anca Rădulescu, Eva Kaslik, Alexandru Fikl
Chaos, Solutions & Fractals
Abstract
BibTeX
@article{RadulescuKaslikFikl2026,
title = {Asymptotic Dynamics in Systems of Two Coupled Quadratic Maps},
author = {Anca R\u{a}dulescu and Eva Kaslik and Alexandru Fikl},
year = 2026,
month = jan,
journal = {Chaos, Solitons \& Fractals},
publisher = {Elsevier {BV}},
volume = 202,
pages = {117489--117489},
doi = {10.1016/j.chaos.2025.117489},
abstract = {
In our previous work, we initiated the study of dynamics in networks with
identical nodes that evolve under complex quadratic iterations. For these
Complex Quadratic Networks, (or CQNs for short), we focused on defining the
equi-M set as the natural extension of the Mandelbrot set, representing the
locus of complex parameters for which the network's critical orbit remains
bounded.
This paper examines the structure and limitations of equi-M sets in
two-dimensional Complex Quadratic Networks (CQNs). In particular, we aim to
describe the relationship between the equi-M set and the parameter domains
where the critical orbit converges to periodic attractors. The simplest
case of two coupled nodes serves as a foundational testbed: its analytical
tractability enables the identification of critical phenomena and their
dependence on coupling, while offering insight into more general
principles. The two-node case is also simple enough to allow for explicit
characterization of the coupling conditions that govern transitions between
synchronized and desynchronized behavior.
Using a combination of analytical and numerical methods, the study reveals
that while the parameter region corresponding to an attracting fixed point
closely tracks the boundary of the equi-M set near its main cusp, this
correspondence breaks down for higher periods and in regions supporting
coexisting attractors. These discrepancies highlight key differences
between uncoupled one-dimensional dynamics and coupled systems, where
equi-M sets capture only partial information about the system's global
combinatorics. Overall, the results illustrate how coupling transforms the
familiar structure of the Mandelbrot set into a richer, higher-dimensional
landscape for low-dimensional CQNs and point toward a sharp increase in
complexity as the number of nodes grows. This work bridges classical
complex dynamics with emerging questions in networked nonlinear systems and
lays the groundwork for analyzing high-dimensional coupled dynamics.
},
}