Desensitization effects in the ruthenium-catalyzed Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction

The Tris(2,2'-Bipyridyl)Ruthenium-Catalysed Belousov–Zhabotinsky Reaction

The Belousov – Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction is the prototypical oscillating chemical reaction. The tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium-catalysed BZ reaction (often simply referred to as the ruthenium-catalysed BZ reaction) displays photosensitivity and has been widely exploited for examination of the effects of illumination on nonlinear reaction kinetics. In this review, we investigate the behaviour of the ruthenium-catalysed BZ reaction. The mechanism of the reaction is analysed and we examine how light sensitivity is incorporated into kinetic models of the reaction. The temporal dynamics of the photosensitive reaction is presented and, finally, we discuss the extraordinary wealth of behaviour that has been observed in the spatially-distributed system when perturbed by visible light.

Analysis of anchor-size effects on pinned scroll waves and measurement of filament rigidity

Inert, spherical heterogeneities can pin three-dimensional scroll waves in the excitable Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction. Three pinning sites cause initially circular rotation backbones to approach equilateral triangles. The resulting stationary shapes show convex deviations that increase with decreasing anchor radii. This dependence is interpreted as a transition between filament termination at large surfaces and true, local pinning of a continuous curve. The shapes of the filament segments are described by a hyperbolic cosine function which is predicted by kinematic theory that considers filament tension and rigidity. The latter value is measured as (1.0±0.7)×10-6 cm4/s.