Nonlinear signal propagation enhanced by noise via stochastic resonance

A model is developed for a nonlinear line of coupled noisy threshold elements. The propagation on the line of various information-carrying signals, periodic, aperiodic or random, is analyzed. Different measures quantifying the efficacy of the propagation are calculated, including signal-to-noise ratio, cross-correlation measures, information-theoretic measures and propagation length. These measures are shown to be improvable by the addition of noise. These results establish a new instance of the nonlinear phenomenon of stochastic resonance under the form of a noise-enhanced propagation applying to a broad variety of signals and noises. The results also contain significance for the propagation of neuronal signals.