New conditions for synchronization in complex networks with multiple time-varying delays

In this paper, two kinds of synchronization problems of complex dynamical networks with multiple time-varying delays are investigated, that is, the cases with fixed topology and with switching topology. For the former, different from the commonly used linear matrix inequality (LMI) method, we adopt the approach basing on the scramblingness property of the network’s weighted adjacency matrix. The obtained result implies that the network will achieve exponential synchronization for appropriate communication delays if the network’s weighted adjacency matrix is of scrambling property and the coupling strength is large enough. Note that, our synchronization condition is very new, which would be easy to check in comparison with those previously reported LMIs. Moreover, we extend the result to the case when the interaction topology is switching. The maximal allowable upper bounds of communication delays are obtained in each case. Numerical simulations are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.

► The approach is based on the scramblingness property of the network’s adjacency matrix.
► Synchronization can be evaluated by the scramblingness property of the network’s adjacency matrix.
► The result for synchronization is easy to check in comparison with those previously reported LMIs.