  We explore the interplay of network structure, topology, and dynamic
interactions between nodes using the paradigm of distributed synchronization in
a network of coupled oscillators. As the network evolves to a global steady
state, interconnected oscillators synchronize in stages, revealing network's
underlying community structure. Traditional models of synchronization assume
that interactions between nodes are mediated by a conservative process, such as
diffusion. However, social and biological processes are often non-conservative.
We propose a new model of synchronization in a network of oscillators coupled
via non-conservative processes. We study dynamics of synchronization of a
synthetic and real-world networks and show that different synchronization
models reveal different structures within the same network.
