COMPLEX PATTERNS IN A SIMPLE SYSTEM

Numerical simulations of a simple reaction-diffusion model reveal a su rprising variety of irregular spatiotemporal patterns. These patterns arise in response to finite-amplitude perturbations. Some of them rese mble the steady irregular patterns recently observed in thin gel react or experiments. Others consist of spots that grow until they reach a c ritical size, at which time they divide in two. If in some region the spots become overcrowded, all of the spots in that region decay into t he uniform background.