Formation of band-type electric patterns in Characean cells (Q1193313)

It is observed by experiments that band patterns of alternating acid and alkaline zones are formed on the surface of Characean cells under illumination. This pattern formation is studied by using a mathematical model which is a reaction-diffusion equation with activator-inhibitor interaction. With suitable simplifications, the model consists of 3 scalar equations with one space variable. Steady state solutions are investigated: (i) numerically; (ii) by using singular perturbation analysis if the diffusion coefficients corresponding to the two activators are sufficiently small.