3-DIMENSIONAL IMAGING OF THE BELOUSOV-ZHABOTINSKY REACTION USING MAGNETIC-RESONANCE

The combination of 3D magnetic resonance imaging data with polygon bas ed computer graphic display software is ideally suited to the study of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction in extended volumes. In this paper we present the first true three dimensional visualization of experimen tal data from the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction. The time evolution of a twisted scroll wave like isoconcentration surface and its organizin g filament are demonstrated for a manganese-catalyzed B-Z mixture. The se techniques extend the experimental study of the B-Z reaction as a c lass of pattern-forming systems to the third dimension. The limitation s of the technique are discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.