Excitation Waves in Capillaries, in Nature, and on Humans

Nonlinear Science & Mathematical Physics

Abstract

Excitation waves are propagating spatiotemporal structures observed in many biological, chemical, and physical systems. They can be described as a reaction-diffusion (RD) wave in which an autocatalytic reaction zone propagates via diffusion without mass transport. More common types of RD waves are the propagation of an action potential in a nerve, the spread of electrical depolarization waves on the heart surface, the (human spectator) stadium wave, or a forest fire.

All RD systems can be described with one set of nonlinear differential equations and experimentally investigated with, for example, a chemical tabletop model system, the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction or with match sticks.

I will give an overview of this research field and present two projects which are also relevant to research in the Physics Department at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Event Details

Date/Time:

  • Date: 
    Wednesday, January 31, 2018 - 3:00pm to 4:00pm

Location:
Howey - School of Physics N110

For More Information Contact

Prof. Flavio Fenton