Travelling waves in an ionic quadratic autocatalytic chemical system

The influence of a constant electric field on the travelling waves that are initiated in an ionic autocatalytic reaction-diffusion system with quadrat ic rate law is considered. The necessary conditions for the existence of mi nimum speed travelling waves are established and examples of such waves hav e been generated using numerical simulation. The behaviour of the system wh en the necessary conditions are not satisfied is also examined. This behavi our involves electrophoretic separation and reaction termination, each of w hich is discussed using examples obtained from numerical simulation. (C) 19 99 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.