From trigger to phase waves and back again (Q2489662)

The authors study trigger and phase waves in a two component Oregonator model given by the following reaction-diffusion equation \[ \bar u_t=D\bar u_{xx}+\bar f(\bar u), \] where \(\bar u=(u,v)\), \[ \bar f(u,v)=\left( \frac{1}{\varepsilon}(u-u^2-(fv+\phi) \frac{u-q}{u+q}),u-v \right) \] and a matrix \(D=\text{diag}(D,0)\) under appropriate assumptions on the parameters involved. More precisely, the above model admits both types of travelling waves and their stability, as well as the transition between trigger and phase waves is investigated. As demonstrated, such a transition is preceded by qualitative changes in the dispersion relation of the former which, in turn, are provided by modified decay properties behind a solitary pulse. At high values of excitability, both types of waves turn out to be connected in the small-wavelength region. Results on the linear stability analysis of the waves close to the transition threshold are presented. Finally, the theoretical investigations are accompanied by one-dimensional simulations of the transition between phase and trigger waves under variation of the parameters.