Adilson E. Motter

Northwestern University

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Converse Symmetry Breaking

Symmetry breaking--the phenomenon in which the symmetry of a system is not inherited by its stable states--underlies pattern formation, superconductivity, and numerous other effects. In this talk, I will present on the recently established possibility of converse symmetry breaking (CSB). CSB concerns scenarios in which stable states are symmetric only when the system itself is not. I will discuss how CSB challenges the widely held assumption that identical entities are necessarily more likely to exhibit similar behavior than non-identical ones. I will show, in particular, that CSB can give rise to beneficial effects of heterogeneity in various complex systems in which interacting entities are required to synchronize. I also plan to discuss experimental demonstrations of this phenomenon as well as opportunities for applications to network optimization, control, and the mitigation of instabilities.