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Effect of noise on chemical waves in three-dimensional reaction-diffusion systems with gradient
Xiaochuan Lu1, Chunyan Wang, Chun Qiao
1Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, PR China.
Abstract:
The effect of noise on chemical waves in a quasi-three-dimensional reaction-diffusion medium with a gradient in the third dimension is studied using the FitzHugh-Nagumo model [R. FitzHugh, Biophysics J. 1, 445 (1961)]. Numerical simulations reveal that noise of appropriate intensity can postpone the onset of turbulence and stabilize the three-dimensional (3D) waves which would otherwise undergo the gradient-induced collapse. It is also found that the 3D waves can be interrupted by incident irregularities when the noise is not too strong; it can be induced into complete turbulence when the noise is strong enough. A mathematical analysis is given based on the dependence of the oscillation frequency on the control parameter. It agrees qualitatively with our numerical findings.
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