title: Oscillation and synchronization in the combustion of candles.
abstract: We investigate a simple experimental system using candles; stable combustion is seen when a single candle burns, while oscillatory combustion is seen when three candles burn together. If we consider a set of three candles as a component oscillator, two oscillators, that is, two sets of three candles, can couple with each other, resulting in both in-phase and antiphase synchronization depending on the distance between the two sets. The mathematical model indicates that the oscillatory combustion in a set of three candles is induced by a lack of oxygen around the burning point. Furthermore, we suggest that thermal radiation may be an essential factor of the synchronization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8522, Japan. kitahata@physics.s.chiba-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kitahata
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taguchi
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagayama
authors.forename: Tatsunari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.forename: Yumihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ikura
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Osa
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sumino
authors.forename: Masanobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Etsuro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miike