Transitions to Long-Resident States in Coupled Chaotic Oscillators

The behaviour of coupled chaotic oscillators before complete synchronization is investigated. Long-time residence of trajectories appears besides one of the saddle foci. The tendency that orbits of the two oscillators get closer becomes faster with the increasing coupling strength. The diffusion of phase difference between the two oscillators is first enhanced and then suppressed. There are exact correspondences among these phenomena. The mechanism of these correspondences is explored. These phenomena uncover the route to synchronization of coupled chaotic oscillators.