The effect of stirring in an inhomogeneous oscillatory medium is investigated. We show that the stirring rate can control the macroscopic behavior of the system producing collective oscillations (synchronization) or complete quenching of the oscillations (oscillator death). We interpret the homogenization rate due to mixing as a measure of global coupling and compare the phase diagrams of stirred oscillatory media and of populations of globally coupled oscillators.

• Received 6 May 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.91.084101