title: Stable spiral structures and their interaction in two-dimensional excitable media.
abstract: We study properties and interactions of stable spiral structures in two-dimensional excitable media modeled by equations of FitzHugh-Nagumo type. The presented results rely on the media ability to support unexcited spiral cores. Comparative frequency and dynamics analysis is done for a single spiral, an oppositely charged bound pair, and multiarmed spirals. Higher-frequency structures can attract, repel, or break up structures with lower frequencies. All pairwise reactions are described. A three-armed spiral and a two-armed spiral of opposite charge can form a stable "molecule." A system with high initial vortex concentration evolves according to the described reactions and exhibits three levels of self-organization. In our simulations such evolution led to formation and domination of persistent three-armed spirals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, New Jersey 07043, USA. zaritski@roman.montclair.edu
authors.forename: Roman M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Zaritski
authors.forename: Arkady M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pertsov
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D004023:Dictyostelium; D007834:Lasers; D008962:Models, Theoretical