Electric-field-induced front deformation of Belousov-Zhabotinsky waves

Experimental evidence is given of deformations in the vertical profiles of ferroin-catalyzed Belousov-Zhabotinsky waves propagating in thin horizontal cuvettes under an imposed dc electric field. While no deformations are seen in a zero field, for low negative field, or for any positive field, a pronounced S-shaped deformation does occur when a wave is exposed to a negative field above some critical magnitude. The observed phenomena are discussed on the basis of the convective flows that are assumed to increase in the negative field resulting from changes in the longitudinal profile of the wave.