Oscillations and Dynamic Instabilities in Chemical Systems

Richard M. Noyes教授获得了理论与计算化学项目的资助，继续研究化学系统中的振荡和动态不稳定性。Noyes特别建议在以下几个基本方面进行研究：1)进一步开展Belousov-Zhabotinsky反应的机理研究；2)提高对苯甲醛振荡氧化反应的认识；3)研究气泡的成核和分子在气液相间的输运；4)扩展复杂系统的行为理论；5)研究生物系统的振荡和不稳定性。任何远离物质或能量进一步输入的化学系统最终都会衰变成一种称为化学平衡的非反应状态。如果不断地加入光、热或高能量的反应物，系统可能会远离平衡状态，并可能表现出奇特的行为，如成分的振荡或气体演化的爆发。诺伊斯的研究计划旨在发现和阐明这些机制，并了解导致它们发生的条件。这些研究的目的是学习如何防止不受欢迎的不稳定因素，以及如何利用不稳定因素实现有用的目的。

Professor Richard M. Noyes is supported by a grant from the Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Program to continue his studies of oscillations and dynamic instabilities in chemical systems. In particular, Noyes proposes to perform studies in the following basic areas: 1) to further the mechanistic studies of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction; 2) to improve our understanding of the oscillatory oxidation of benzaldehyde; 3) to study the nucleation of bubbles and transport of molecules between gas and liquid phases; 4) to extend the theories of behavior in complex systems; and 5) to study oscillations and instabilities in biological systems. %%% Any chemical system isolated from further inputs of matter or energy will ultimately decay toward a nonreactive state called chemical equilibrium. If light or heat or reactant chemicals of high energy are constantly added, the system may be kept far from equilibrium and may exhibit exotic behaviors such as oscillations in composition or bursts of gas evolution. Noyes' research program is directed to discovering and elucidating these mechanisms and to learning the conditions responsible for their occurence. Such studies are intended to learn both how to prevent undesirable instabilitiers and also how to use instabilities to accomplish useful purposes.