title: Self-organized stable pacemakers near the onset of birhythmicity.
abstract: General amplitude equations are derived for reaction-diffusion systems near the soft onset of birhythmicity described by a supercritical pitchfork-Hopf bifurcation. Using these equations and applying singular perturbation theory, we show that stable autonomous pacemakers represent a generic kind of spatiotemporal patterns in such systems. This is verified by numerical simulations, which also show the existence of breathing and swinging pacemaker solutions. The drift of self-organized pacemakers in media with spatial parameter gradients is analytically and numerically investigated.
authors.affiliation: Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, D-14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stich
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ipsen
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Mikhailov