Target patterns in two-dimensional heterogeneous oscillatory reaction--diffusion systems (Q2489663)

The paper revisits the issue of the description of patterns in the form of targets, i.e., concentric waves emitted by a central ``pacemaker''. The two-dimensional complex cubic Ginzburg-Landau equation is used as a model to study the patterns. Unlike rotating spiral waves, this equation cannot support target patterns in a uniform medium, but they can be sustained by a small region with a locally increased value of the frequency. In an analytical approximation, the patterns are described by means of the phase-diffusion equation, which can be linearized by the Cole-Hopf substitution, the resultant linear equation taking the form of the stationary Schrödinger equation with an axially symmetric potential in quantum mechanics. This way, results are obtained for the wavenumber and frequency of the circular waves generated by the pacemaker as a function of parameters of the central pacemaker. Numerical results are obtained for pacemakers of both circular and square shapes. Also considered is (by means of simulations) the interaction of the target wave pattern with a local defect in the form of a sink of waves. In some cases, the waves generated by the pacemaker may themselves be unstable. The wavebreaking in this case is studied too.