Spatially periodic modulated Rayleigh-Bénard convection

Patterns of thermomagnetic convection in magnetic fluids subjected to spatially modulated magnetic fields

An analysis of thermomagnetic convection in a thin horizontal layer of magnetic fluid constrained horizontally by impermeable layers and subjected to a spatially and symmetrically modulated magnetic field is presented. The magnetic field as well as the temperature gradient are oriented vertically. For any nonzero magnetic field the base state is a convective one formed by a double vortex which reflects the symmetrical modulation. For long wave modulations the linear stability analysis reveals that the critical Rayleigh number Ra(c) for the stability of the base state against small disturbances increases with increasing magnetic driving force. An analytical expression for Ra(c) is derived which shows the characteristic feature of sudden jumps of Ra(c) at particular values of the magnetic driving force.

Hexagonal, square, and stripe patterns of the ion channel density in biomembranes

Transmembrane ion flow through channel proteins undergoing density fluctuations may cause lateral gradients of the electrical potential across the membrane giving rise to electrophoresis of charged channels. A model for the dynamics of the channel density and the voltage drop across the membrane (cable equation) coupled to a binding-release reaction with the cell skeleton [P. Fromherz and W. Zimmerman, Phys. Rev. E 51, R1659 (1995)] is analyzed in one and two spatial dimensions. Due to the binding release reaction spatially periodic modulations of the channel density with a finite wave number are favored at the onset of pattern formation, whereby the wave number decreases with the kinetic rate of the binding-release reaction. In a two-dimensional extended membrane hexagonal modulations of the ion channel density are preferred in a large range of parameters. The stability diagrams of the periodic patterns near threshold are calculated and in addition the equations of motion in the limit of a slow binding-release kinetics are derived.

Harmonic versus subharmonic patterns in a spatially forced oscillating chemical reaction

The effects of a spatially periodic forcing on an oscillating chemical reaction as described by the Lengyel-Epstein model are investigated. We find a surprising competition between two oscillating patterns, where one is harmonic and the other subharmonic with respect to the spatially periodic forcing. The occurrence of a subharmonic pattern is remarkable as well as its preference up to rather large values of the modulation amplitude. For small modulation amplitudes we derive from the model system a generic equation for the envelope of the oscillating reaction that includes an additional forcing contribution, compared to the amplitude equations known from previous studies in other systems. The analysis of this amplitude equation allows the derivation of analytical expressions even for the forcing corrections to the threshold and to the oscillation frequency, which are in a wide range of parameters in good agreement with the numerical analysis of the complete reaction equations. In the nonlinear regime beyond threshold, the subharmonic solutions exist in a finite range of the control parameter that has been determined by solving the reaction equations numerically for various sets of parameters.

Spatial synchronization of regular optical patterns

We investigate an extended, nonlinear optical experiment, exhibiting the spontaneous formation of hexagonal patterns out of a stationary bifurcation. The system is exposed to a two-dimensional spatially periodic forcing, namely, static hexagonal patterns, under variation of their spatial periodicity. Parameters are the strength of the forcing and the distance to pattern forming threshold. The system response is quantitatively characterized with different methods. We observe several locking regimes, where the system is entrained by the forcing. Most of the locking regimes can be related to resonances between the different critical wave numbers and the forcing wave number or its spatial harmonics. One particular locking appears to result from two of these simple resonances in a kind of generalized order m:n synchronization. The width of the locking regimes increases with forcing strength, apparently representing a spatial analog of Arnold tongues.

Stripe-hexagon competition in forced pattern-forming systems with broken up-down symmetry

We investigate the response of two-dimensional pattern-forming systems with a broken up-down symmetry, such as chemical reactions, to spatially resonant forcing and propose related experiments. The nonlinear behavior immediately above threshold is analyzed in terms of amplitude equations suggested for a 1:2 and 1:1 ratio between the wavelength of the spatial periodic forcing and the wavelength of the pattern of the respective system. Both sets of coupled amplitude equations are derived by a perturbative method from the Lengyel-Epstein model describing a chemical reaction showing Turing patterns, which gives us the opportunity to relate the generic response scenarios to a specific pattern-forming system. The nonlinear competition between stripe patterns and distorted hexagons is explored and their range of existence, stability, and coexistence is determined. Whereas without modulations hexagonal patterns are always preferred near onset of pattern formation, single-mode solutions (stripes) are favored close to threshold for modulation amplitudes beyond some critical value. Hence distorted hexagons only occur in a finite range of the control parameter and their interval of existence shrinks to zero with increasing values of the modulation amplitude. Furthermore, depending on the modulation amplitude, the transition between stripes and distorted hexagons is either subcritical or supercritical.

Spatially modulated thermal convection of viscoelastic fluids

The thermal convection of modulated viscoelastic flow is examined in this study. The modulation is assumed to be weak enough for a regular perturbation solution to be implemented. In addition to being more accurate, the second-order perturbation results reveal new physical phenomena that could not be predicted by the first-order analysis. Inertia was found to enhance globally the discrepancies between the first- and the second-order perturbation solution. A comparison between the Newtonian and the non-Newtonian solution is carried out and the influences of inertia, modulation amplitude, and wave number are emphasized. The present results show that elasticity has a marked effect on fluid patterns, especially regarding the roll structure and symmetry. The influence of elasticity is greater for larger Rayleigh number and aspect ratio.

Spatial periodic forcing of Turing structures

Spontaneously evolving Turing structures in the chlorine dioxide-iodine-malonic acid reaction-diffusion system typically exhibit many defects that break the symmetry of the pattern. Periodic spatial forcing interacts with the Turing structures and modifies the pattern symmetry and wavelength. We investigate the role of the amplitude and wavelength of spatial periodic forcing on the hexagonal pattern of Turing structures. Experimental results and numerical simulations reveal that forcing at wavelengths slightly larger than the natural wavelength of the pattern is most effective in removing defects and producing ordered symmetric hexagonal patterns.