Spatial forcing of pattern-forming systems that lack inversion symmetry

Non-monotonic resonance in a spatially forced Lengyel-Epstein model

We study resonant spatially periodic solutions of the Lengyel-Epstein model modified to describe the chlorine dioxide-iodine-malonic acid reaction under spatially periodic illumination. Using multiple-scale analysis and numerical simulations, we obtain the stability ranges of 2:1 resonant solutions, i.e., solutions with wavenumbers that are exactly half of the forcing wavenumber. We show that the width of resonant wavenumber response is a non-monotonic function of the forcing strength, and diminishes to zero at sufficiently strong forcing. We further show that strong forcing may result in a π/2 phase shift of the resonant solutions, and argue that the nonequilibrium Ising-Bloch front bifurcation can be reversed. We attribute these behaviors to an inherent property of forcing by periodic illumination, namely, the increase of the mean spatial illumination as the forcing amplitude is increased.

Reversing desertification as a spatial resonance problem

An important environmental application of pattern control by periodic spatial forcing is the restoration of vegetation patterns in water-limited ecosystems that went through desertification. Vegetation restoration is often based on periodic landscape modulations that intercept overland water flow and form favorable conditions for vegetation growth. Viewing this method as a spatial resonance problem, we show that plain realizations of this method, assuming a complete vegetation response to the imposed modulation pattern, suffer from poor resilience to rainfall variability. By contrast, less intuitive realizations, based on the inherent spatial modes of vegetation growth and involving partial vegetation implantation, can be highly resilient and equally productive. We derive these results using two complementary models, a realistic vegetation model, and a simple pattern formation model that lends itself to mathematical analysis and highlights the universal aspects of the behaviors found with the vegetation model. We focus on reversing desertification as an outstanding environmental problem, but the main conclusions hold for any spatially forced system near the onset of a finite-wave-number instability that is subjected to noisy conditions.

Fronts and patterns in a spatially forced CDIMA reaction

We use experiments on a chemical reaction and model analysis to study localized phase fronts in stripe patterns and their roles as building blocks of extended rectangular and oblique patterns.