{
  "abstract": "We investigate how sensory coupling mediates phase coherence between spatially separated, confined active systems. Using two fish schools separated by a water-filled transparent gap, we isolate vision as the primary interaction channel. Under boundary confinement, each school's center-of-mass heading exhibits noisy bistable dynamics, spontaneously switching between two antiparallel directions along the partition wall. Turning events in one school bias the orientation of the other, driving distance-dependent phase synchronization. We model this behavior using two coupled stochastic bistable oscillators whose exact solution quantitatively reproduces the empirical results. Our work establishes a precise connection between nonequilibrium active systems and coupled stochastic oscillators, offering insight into boundary-spanning information transfer in living collectives.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2609.01754",
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Elena G. de Lamo"
    },
    {
      "name": "Óscar Sánchez"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Carmen Miguel"
    },
    {
      "name": "Romualdo Pastor-Satorras"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dc416hxrfjc8c.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2609.01754",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "dc416hxrfjc8c",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.01754",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "cond-mat.other"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1705|Nonlinear Dynamics and Pattern Formation"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7207679748",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2609.01754",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-01",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dc416hxrfjc8c.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:16Z",
      "native_id": "2609.01754",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.01754"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:cond-mat.other",
      "subfield": "condensed-matter"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Phase synchronization of fish schools through spatial gaps",
  "title_text": "Phase synchronization of fish schools through spatial gaps",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:16Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dc416hxrfjc8c",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}