Pattern Formation by Interacting Chemical Fronts

Experiments on a bistable chemical reaction in a continuously fed thin gel layer reveal a new type of spatiotemporal pattern, one in which fronts propagate at a constant speed until they reach a critical separation (typically 0.4 millimeter) and stop. The resulting asymptotic state is a highly irreg...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1993-07, Vol.261 (5118), p.192-194
Main Authors: Lee, Kyoung J., McCormick, W. D., Ouyang, Qi, Swinney, Harry L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
400201 - Chemical & Physicochemical Properties
Calculus
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
Chemistry
COMPLEXES
Critical values
Diffusion coefficient
DISTRIBUTION
DISTURBANCES
EQUILIBRIUM
Exact sciences and technology
FERROCYANIDES
Flow velocity
Gels
General and physical chemistry
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
IODATES
IODINE COMPOUNDS
IRON COMPLEXES
Kinetics
Light
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
Organic Chemistry
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PATTERN RECOGNITION
PERTURBATION THEORY
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
Stripes
SULFITES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
Theory of reactions, general kinetics
Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry
TIME DEPENDENCE
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPLEXES
Ultraviolet radiation
Videotape Recorders
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Description
Summary:Experiments on a bistable chemical reaction in a continuously fed thin gel layer reveal a new type of spatiotemporal pattern, one in which fronts propagate at a constant speed until they reach a critical separation (typically 0.4 millimeter) and stop. The resulting asymptotic state is a highly irregular stationary pattern that contrasts with the regular patterns such as hexagons, squares, and stripes that have been observed in many nonequilibrium systems. The observed patterns are initiated by a finite amplitude perturbation rather than through spontaneous symmetry breaking.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.261.5118.192