Spatial confinement causes lifetime enhancement and expansion of vortex rings with positive filament tension. (24th September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Totz, Jan Frederik; Engel, Harald; Steinbock, Oliver
• Is Part Of: New journal of physics. Volume 17:Number 9(2015:Sep.)
• Publication Date: 2015-09-24
• Subjects: spiral wave -- scroll ring -- spatial confinement -- pattern formation -- reaction–diffusion system; 05.45.a -- 82.40.Ck -- 82.40.Qt; Physics -- Periodicals; Physics; Periodicals; 530.05
• DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/17/9/093043
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1367-2630

Abstract

Abstract: We study the impact of spatial confinement on the dynamics of three-dimensional (3D) excitation vortices with circular filaments. In a chemically active medium we observe a decreased contraction rate of such scroll rings and even expanding ones, despite their positive filament tension. All experimentally observed regimes of spatially confined scroll ring evolution are reproduced by full 3D numerical integration of the underlying reaction–diffusion equations. Additionally, we propose a kinematical model that takes into account the interaction of the scroll ring with a no-flux boundary. Its predictions agree quantitatively with data obtained from simulations of the reaction–diffusion model.