Cluster synchronization of fractional‐order complex networks via variable‐time impulsive control.

This paper investigates the cluster synchronization of fractional‐order complex networks. Considering that impulsive control can reduce the update of controller, and the appearance of impulse is always dependent on each node in the networks instead of appearing at fixed instant, thus we design a variable‐time impulsive controller to control the considered networks. Foremost, several assumptions are proposed to guarantee the every solution of coupled error networks intersect each discontinuous impulsive surface exactly once. In addition, by utilizing the B‐equivalence method and the theory of fractional calculus, the variable‐time impulsive fractional‐order system is reduced to a fixed‐time impulsive fractional‐order system, which can be regarded as the comparison system of the former. Next, under the framework of 1‐norm, some sufficient conditions are presented to ensure that fractional‐order system and target trajectory ultimately achieve cluster synchronization. In the end, a numerical example is designed to illustrate the validity and feasibility of theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]