Relaying phase synchrony in chaotic oscillator chains

We study the manner in which the effect of an external drive is transmitted through mutually coupled response systems by examining the phase synchrony between the drive and the response. Two different coupling schemes are used. Homogeneous couplings are via the same variables, while heterogeneous couplings are through different variables. With the latter scenario, synchronization regimes are truncated with increasing number of mutually coupled oscillators, in contrast to homogeneous coupling schemes. Our results are illustrated for systems of coupled chaotic R\"ossler oscillators.