Threshold-diversity-induced resonance

The effect of diversity on a system of coupled threshold elements is investigated, where each element is driven by a common periodic signal. Diversity is introduced to the system by assuming that the thresholds of all units are heterogeneous, e.g. the thresholds follow a Gaussian or other distribution. A combined numerical and analytical approach shows that the response of the system to the input signal is maximized at a moderate value of the diversity amplitude, which is similar to the well-known stochastic resonance phenomenon induced by noise. Our findings exhibit that the diversity, a kind of spatial disorder, may play a similar role to noise as a kind of temporal disorder.