Synchronization of spatiotemporally chaotic extended systems is considered in the context of coupled one-dimensional complex Ginzburg-Landau equations (CGLE). A regime of coupled spatiotemporal intermittency (STI) is identified and described in terms of the space-time synchronized chaotic motion of localized structures. A quantitative measure of synchronization as a function of coupling parameter is given through distribution functions and information measures. The coupled STI regime is shown to disappear into regular dynamics for situations of strong coupling when localized structures become unstable, hence a description in terms of a single CGLE is not appropriate.

• Received 8 November 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.78.4379