Singular filaments organize chemical waves in three dimensions: III. Knotted waves

This is the third of a series of papers on the anatomy of three-dimensional organizing centers in excitable media. We here ask whether all self-consistent waves in excitable media are topologically equivalent to the experimentally-verified scroll ring, whose axis lies in a plane. As a test case we examine a scroll ring whose axis contains a knot. It proves to be incompatible with the requirements of physical chemistry unless simultaneously twisted by an amount equal to the “writhing number” of its axis (which is zero for planar closed curves). Appropriate initial conditions are suggested for experimentally creating a wave whose source is a scroll ring knotted and twisted in this way.     

Using weak impulses to suppress traveling waves in excitable media

Here we propose mechanisms for suppressing non-steady-state motions--propagating pulses, spiral waves, spiral-wave chaos--in excitable media. Our approach is based on two points: (1) excitable media are multistable; and (2) traveling waves in excitable media can be separated into fast and slow motions, which can be considered independently. We show that weak impulses can be used to change the values of the slow variable at the front and back of a traveling wave, which leads to wave front and wave back velocities that are different from each other. This effect can destabilize the traveling wave, resulting in a transition to the rest state.     

Oscillatory dispersion and coexisting stable pulse trains in an excitable medium

For planar wave trains in excitable media, we found a novel type of anomalous dispersion distinguished by bistable domains in the dependence of the propagation velocity on the wavelength. Within one medium alternative stable pulse trains can coexist having the same wavelength but different velocities. The phenomenon is related to oscillatory recovery of excitations, which causes small amplitude oscillations in the refractory tail of pulses. Crucial for the bistability is that the pulses in the trains are locked into one oscillation maximum in the tail of the preceding pulse in the train.     

Excitable wave patterns in a spatially extended nonlinear optical cavity

We show that finite external excitation can lead to a traveling wave in an excitable passive optical system with one-dimensional space geometry. We have studied the excitable behavior of this system in parallel with that of its diffusive counterpart and show the effects of optical phase on the traveling-wave solution and its velocity. In two-dimensional space we observe numerically rotating optical spiral waves evolving from a truncated planar wave front.     

Generation of finite wave trains in excitable media

Spatiotemporal control of excitable media is of paramount importance in the development of new applications, ranging from biology to physics. To this end, we identify and describe a qualitative property of excitable media that enables us to generate a sequence of traveling pulses of any desired length, using a one-time initial stimulus. The wave trains are produced by a transient pacemaker generated by a one-time suitably tailored spatially localized finite amplitude stimulus, and belong to a family of fast pulse trains. A second family, of slow pulse trains, is also present. The latter are created through a clumping instability of a traveling wave state (in an excitable regime) and are inaccessible to single localized stimuli of the type we use. The results indicate that the presence of a large multiplicity of stable, accessible, multi-pulse states is a general property of simple models of excitable media.     

Fisher方程的有界衰减振荡解

为了研究非线性发展方程的有界衰减振荡解,特选取Fisher方程为例. Fisher方程在描述激发介质的非数值模型(如Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ)反应)中, 其解的振幅取负值是有意义的.应用平面动力系统理论,研究了Fisher方程有界行波解存在的条件, 利用LS解法和线性化解法给出了其有界衰减振荡解的近似解析表达式,并进行了误差估计.     

Self-sustained target waves in excitable media with only a long-range link

In this paper we investigate spatiotemporal pattern formation in excitable media with only a long-range link. Besides the trivial solutions of spiral patterns, we find the asymptotic self-sustained target waves in the autonomous tissues. The wave source supporting this kind of new pattern is the oscillatory one-dimensional Winfree-loop self-organized under the presence of a long-range link, which is explored by the dominant phase-advanced driving method. Based on this understanding we can effectively regulate the oscillations of excitable media by suitably arranging the long-range link, including construction of self-sustained target waves with controllable period and wave length, or manipulation of system states between different patterns.     

Effects of reduced discrete coupling on filament tension in excitable media

Wave propagation in the heart has a discrete nature, because it is mediated by discrete intercellular connections via gap junctions. Although effects of discreteness on wave propagation have been studied for planar traveling waves and vortexes (spiral waves) in two dimensions, its possible effects on vortexes (scroll waves) in three dimensions are not yet explored. In this article, we study the effect of discrete cell coupling on the filament dynamics in a generic model of an excitable medium. We find that reduced cell coupling decreases the line tension of scroll wave filaments and may induce negative filament tension instability in three-dimensional excitable lattices.     

可激发介质中环形异质介质导致自维持靶波

在二维可激发介质中引入环形异质可激发介质,研究了可激发介质中自维持靶波的形成,数值模拟结果表明:当介质的激发性和环的尺寸适当选取时,初始的扰动可在可激发介质中产生自维持靶波,对产生自维持靶波的物理机理作了讨论.     

On propagation failure in one- and two-dimensional excitable media

We present a nonperturbative technique to study pulse dynamics in excitable media. The method is used to study propagation failure in one-dimensional and two-dimensional excitable media. In one-dimensional media we describe the behavior of pulses and wave trains near the saddle node bifurcation, where propagation fails. The generalization of our method to two dimensions captures the point where a broken front (or finger) starts to retract. We obtain approximate expressions for the pulse shape, pulse velocity, and scaling behavior. The results are compared with numerical simulations and show good agreement.     

随机扰动对螺旋波动力学的影响研究

心脏中的心肌组织是一种典型的可激发介质, 鉴于心肌细胞分布的离散性, 采用离散可激发介质模型研究了不应态时间随机扰动对螺旋波动力学行为的影响, 在扰动随机出现情况下, 螺旋波的稳定性与受扰元胞的数目和扰动幅度有关, 数值计算结果表明: 在适当的条件下, 可以观察到螺旋波漫游、破碎和消失现象, 并简要分析了产生这些现象的机理. 关键词： 螺旋波 激发介质 随机扰动     

Suppressing arrhythmias in cardiac models using overdrive pacing and calcium channel blockers

Recent findings indicate that ventricular fibrillation might arise from spiral wave chaos. Our objective in this computational study was to investigate wave interactions in excitable media and to explore the feasibility of using overdrive pacing to suppress spiral wave chaos. This work is based on the finding that in excitable media, propagating waves with the highest excitation frequency eventually overtake all other waves. We analyzed the effects of low-amplitude, high-frequency pacing in one-dimensional and two-dimensional networks of coupled, excitable cells governed by the Luo-Rudy model. In the one-dimensional cardiac model, we found narrow high-frequency regions of 1:1 synchronization between the input stimulus and the system's response. The frequencies in this region were higher than the intrinsic spiral wave frequency of cardiac tissue. When we paced the two-dimensional cardiac model with frequencies from this region, we found that spiral wave chaos could, in some cases, be suppressed. When we coupled the overdrive pacing with calcium channel blockers, we found that spiral wave chaos could be suppressed in all cases. These findings suggest that low-amplitude, high-frequency overdrive pacing, in combination with calcium channel inhibitors (e.g., class II or class IV antiarrhythmic drugs), may be useful for eliminating fibrillation. (c) 2002 American Institute of Physics.     

Dynamical simulations of twisted scroll rings in three-dimensional excitable media

Excitable media such as heart muscle and the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reagent harbor vortex-like sources of periodic wave activity. In three dimensions this vortex has been observed in vivo, in vitro, and in numero. It typically closes in a ring. Using a partial differential equation model of an excitable medium, we present the first computation of a topologically new vortex ring. The computations suggest distinctive properties whereby we may recognize this new organizing center in experiments with excitable media.     

Transverse coupling of chemical waves

The transverse coupling of chemical waves is investigated using a model scheme for excitable media. Chemical waves supported on the surfaces of a semipermeable membrane couple via diffusion through the membrane, resulting in new types of spatiotemporal behavior. The model studies show that spontaneous wave sources may develop from interacting planar waves, giving rise to a complex sequence of patterns accessible only by perturbation. Coupled circular waves result in the spontaneous formation of spiral waves, which subsequently develop patterns in distinct domains with characteristic features. The long time entrainment behavior of coupled spiral waves reveals regions of 1:2 phase locking.     

Wave front interaction model of stabilized propagating wave segments

A wave front interaction model is developed to describe the relationship between excitability and the size and shape of stabilized wave segments in a broad class of weakly excitable media. These wave segments of finite size are unstable but can be stabilized by feedback to the medium excitability; they define a separatrix between spiral wave behavior and contracting wave segments. Unbounded wave segments (critical fingers) lie on the asymptote of this separatrix, defining the boundary between excitable and subexcitable media. The model predictions are compared with results from numerical simulations.     

Vortex Turbulence due to the Interplay of Filament Tension and Rotational Anisotropy

The mechanism of scroll wave turbulence is investigated in excitable media with rotational anisotropy. We adopt the Barkley model with heterogeneity in the diffusion constants. Through comparative numerical studies, we demonstrate the vortex turbulence results from the rotational anisotropy＇s cooperation with negative filament tension or competition with positive filament tension. The presence of rotational anisotropy can enlarge the parameter region leading to negative-tension induced wave turbulence in isotropic media.     

非均匀可激发介质中的稀密螺旋波

在非均匀可激发介质中,采用Barkley模型数值模拟了稀螺旋波和密螺旋波, 并对二者的动力学行为随参数的变化进行了研究. 结果发现:稀螺旋波的旋转频率随参数b的增加迅速减小,之后趋于饱和, 显示出不同于密螺旋波的行为;两种螺旋波的周期和波长随参数ε 和非均匀区域尺寸R的增加而增加,相对稀螺旋波而言,密螺旋波的性质对R的依赖更为敏感; 稀螺旋波端点的波速随R的增加而减小,与密螺旋波波速变化趋势相反. 另外,由于非均匀区域的影响,当ε 或b 超过某一临界值时,螺旋波臂上出现缺陷点.     

Distributed predictive control of spiral wave in cardiac excitable media

In this paper, we propose the distributed predictive control strategies of spiral wave in cardiac excitable media. The modified FitzHugh--Nagumo model was used to express the cardiac excitable media approximately. Based on the control-Lyapunov theory, we obtained the distributed control equation, which consists of a positive control-Lyapunov function and a positive cost function. Using the equation, we investigate two kinds of robust control strategies: the time-dependent distributed control strategy and the space-time dependent distributed control strategy. The feasibility of the strategies was demonstrated via an illustrative example, in which the spiral wave was prevented to occur, and the possibility for inducing ventricular fibrillation was eliminated. The strategies are helpful in designing various cardiac devices. Since the second strategy is more efficient and robust than the first one, and the response time in the second strategy is far less than that in the first one, the former is suitable for the quick-response control systems. In addition, our spatiotemporal control strategies, especially the second strategy, can be applied to other cardiac models, even to other reaction-diffusion systems.     

A normal form for excitable media

We present a normal form for traveling waves in one-dimensional excitable media in the form of a differential delay equation. The normal form is built around the well-known saddle-node bifurcation generically present in excitable media. Finite wavelength effects are captured by a delay. The normal form describes the behavior of single pulses in a periodic domain and also the richer behavior of wave trains. The normal form exhibits a symmetry preserving Hopf bifurcation which may coalesce with the saddle node in a Bogdanov-Takens point, and a symmetry-breaking spatially inhomogeneous pitchfork bifurcation. We verify the existence of these bifurcations in numerical simulations. The parameters of the normal form are determined and its predictions are tested against numerical simulations of partial differential equation models of excitable media with good agreement.     

Mechanism for spiral wave breakup in excitable and oscillatory media

We study spiral wave breakup using a Fitzhugh-Nagumo-type system. We find that spiral wave breakup can occur near the core or far from it in both excitable and oscillatory regimes. There is a faraway breakup scenario in both excitable and oscillatory media that depends on long wavelength modulation modes. We observed three distinct scenarios, including one that involves breakup that does not develop into turbulence. However, we find that the mechanisms behind these three scenarios are the same: they are caused by the interaction between the dispersion relation and the asymptotic behavior of the modulation mode. The difference in phenomenology is due to the asymptotic behavior of the modulation mode.