Crystal formation in systems of pseudoforced swarmalators
Phys. Rev. E 114, 024204 – Published 10 August, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/cpd5-6rg8
Abstract
Swarmalators are active agents that move in position space and exhibit internal degrees of freedom. Due to interactions of their positions and phases of oscillation, they show on the one hand swarming, similar to the effect of flocking of birds. In addition, they exhibit synchronization behavior, analogous to what has been observed in fireflies. Previous works studied scenarios in which the phases are forced externally. Here, we consider a pseudoforce that acts on the positions of the swarmalators. Due to the resulting attraction toward the center of position space, transitions from the splintered and active phase-wave state to the static asynchronized state are induced. To quantify the crystal order of swarmalators, we introduce an order parameter that is based on the Fourier transform of their positions.
