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Chaos in the non-stirred Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction is induced by interaction of waves and stationary dissipative structures

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Abstract

Order–disorder transitions are among the most important aspects of the problem of self-organization1. The Belousov–Zhabotinsky (B–Z) reaction is a convenient model for studying these transitions because it displays not only a variety of regular wave patterns but also chemical turbulence. Chaos in this reaction is usually thought to be a local property2, corresponding to a strange attractor in ordinary differential equations. In an active system, however, a different type of chaos (autowave chaos) may occur, which is not based on local mechanisms3,4. We have now found that this type of chaos develops from the interaction of propagating waves and stationary dissipative structures. This interaction initiates a chain reaction of spiral wave production resulting in a reduction of the characteristic scales of the wave pattern and in the occurrence of chaos. If the physical conditions are inappropriate for the formation of dissipative structures, then no chemical turbulence occurs and the wave pattern remains regular. Therefore, chaos appears in the reaction as a result of structure formation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biological Physics, USSR Academy of Sciences, 142292 Pushchino, Moscow Region, USSR

    K. I. Agladze, V. I. Krinsky & A. M. Pertsov

Authors
  1. K. I. Agladze
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  2. V. I. Krinsky
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  3. A. M. Pertsov
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Agladze, K., Krinsky, V. & Pertsov, A. Chaos in the non-stirred Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction is induced by interaction of waves and stationary dissipative structures. Nature 308, 834–835 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/308834a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/308834a0

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