Anticipating synchronization in a chain of chaotic oscillators with switching parameters

• A new coupling scheme for anticipating chaotic synchronization is proposed.
• The scheme consists of three coupled systems with periodically switching parameters.
• Long-term anticipation is achieved without using time-delay terms.
• The method is verified for the Rössler, Lorenz and Hindmarsh–Rose neuron systems.

A new coupling scheme for anticipating synchronization of chaotic systems is proposed. The scheme consists of a master system and two in series coupled slave systems with periodically switching parameters. The scheme does not require the presence of any time-delay terms either in a master or in slave systems and provides long-term anticipation. The value of anticipation time as well as the conditions of synchronization are derived in an analytical form. Analytical results are tested by numerical experiments with the chaotic Rössler and Lorenz systems as well as the Hindmarsh–Rose neuron in a regime of chaotic bursting. Also a robustness of the scheme with respect to parameter mismatch and noise is demonstrated.