A stochastic resonance is a phenomenon in which a nonlinear system is subjected to a periodic modulated signal so weak as to be normally undetectable, but it becomes detectable due to resonance between the weak deterministic signal and stochastic Noise. The earliest definition of stochastic resonance was the maximum of the output signal strength as a function of Noise (Bulsara and Gammaitoni 1996).
See also Kramers Rate, Noise
References
Benzi, R.; Sutera, A.; and Vulpiani, A. ``The Mechanism of Stochastic Resonance.'' J. Phys. A 14, L453-L457, 1981.
Bulsara, A. R. and Gammaitoni, L. ``Tuning in to Noise.'' Phys. Today 49, 39-45, March 1996.