Synchronization of spatiotemporal patterns in locally coupled excitable media

The synchronization of two distributed Belousov-Zhabotinsky systems is experimentally and theoretically investigated. Symmetric local coupling of the systems is made possible with the use of a video camera-projector scheme. The spatial disorder of the coupled systems, with random initial configurations of spirals, gradually decreases until a final state is attained, which corresponds to a synchronized state with a single spiral in each system. The experimental observations are confirmed with numerical simulations of two identical Oregonator models with symmetric local coupling, and a systematic study reveals generalized synchronization of spiral waves. Several different types of synchronization attractors are distinguished.