THE INITIATION AND PROPAGATION OF TRAVELING WAVES ON MEMBRANE INTERFACES IN THE BELOUSOV-ZHABOTINSKII REACTION

Travelling reaction-diffusion waves are considered in a simplified mod el of the Belousov-Zhabotinskii reaction, described mathematically by the two-variable Oregonator. A one-dimensional problem consisting of t wo regions is considered. Region I (effectively the boundary at x' = 0 ) acts as a reservoir with a fixed concentration of the autocatalytic species (hypobromous acid), and provides constant input of this specie s into region II. Region II (the reaction zone 0 < x' < infinity) allo ws diffusion of the autocatalyst while the catalytic species Ce(IV) is assumed immobilized on a supporting matrix. The form of the ensuing t ravelling wavefront and the behaviour in the region behind the front a s it propagates into the region of increasing x', is considered. By ex amining the large time behaviour it is shown that the propagating fron t travels with its minimum possible wave speed. Both single travelling waves and periodic wave trains are observed.