Transition to Spatiotemporal Intermittency and Defect Turbulence in Systems under Translational Coupling

Phys Rev Lett. 2020 Apr 24;124(16):164101. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.164101.

Abstract

Out of equilibrium systems under the influence of enough energy injection exhibit complex spatiotemporal behaviors. Based on a liquid crystal light valve experiment with translational optical feedback, we observe propagation, spatiotemporal intermittency, and defect turbulence of striped waves. A prototype model of pattern formation with translational coupling shows the same phenomenology. Close to the spatial instability, a local amplitude equation is derived. This amplitude equation allows us to reveal the origin and bifurcation diagram of the observed complex spatiotemporal dynamics. Experimental observations have a qualitative agreement with theoretical findings.