Filament Dynamics in Three-Dimensional Reaction-Diffusion Systems

该奖项由化学系实验物理化学项目资助，佛罗里达州立大学（FSU）的Oliver Steinbock教授将与他的学生研究人员一起，研究化学反应系统中三维波动模式的动力学。这些复杂的图案仅仅是由局部反应和扩散的相互作用产生的，而不涉及流体运动。特别关注的是旋转三维螺旋的涡旋波。这些结构存在于各种可激发系统中，如自催化化学反应、黏菌菌落聚集、神经组织和人类心脏。在后一系统中，它们可能导致危险的心律失常和纤颤。涡旋波动力学的许多方面可以用一维空间曲线（或“细丝”）的运动来解释。这种运动在很大程度上取决于局部丝的曲率和旋转阶段的梯度。虽然今天大多数这些因素都被理解了，但对于细丝与其他细丝的相互作用，高频波模式和不可兴奋障碍知之甚少。对这些类型的相互作用的全面理解的发展定义了所提议的研究的主要智力价值。实验将采用Belousov-Zhabotinsky反应，并使用光学断层扫描等检测技术。实验结果将与半定量和一般运动学模型的数值模拟进行比较。特别是，由于人类心脏中危险的再入波可能会附着于解剖和病理缺陷，因此将涡旋波固定在不可兴奋的障碍物上和从不可兴奋的障碍物上断开具有深远的广泛影响。在这种情况下，该项目将对“心源性猝死”的发生产生根本性的见解，仅在美国，每年就有超过30万人死亡。此外，我们的项目将进一步培养几名本科生、研究生和博士后。斯坦博克教授还将继续致力于让代表性不足的群体参与进来，并参与旨在提高他们在研究和学术界领导作用的项目。此外，他的团队将开发和实施新颖的外展活动，向公众传播FSU的全球教育外展计划、播客、YouTube等热门网站以及FSU的荣誉计划和“周六早上物理”系列等当地活动的关键成果。

In this award, funded by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program of the Division of Chemistry, Professor Oliver Steinbock of Florida State University (FSU), together with his student researchers, will investigate the dynamics of three-dimensional wave patterns in reacting chemical systems. These complex patterns arise solely from the interplay of local reactions and diffusion but do not involve fluid motion. The particular focus is on scroll waves which are rotating three-dimensional spirals. These structures exist in a variety of excitable systems, such as autocatalytic chemical reactions, aggregating slime mold colonies, neuronal tissue and the human heart. In the latter system, they possibly cause dangerous cardiac arrhythmias and fibrillation. Many aspects of scroll wave dynamics can be explained in terms of the motion of the one-dimensional space curves (or "filaments") around which they rotate. This motion depends strongly on the local filament curvature and gradients in rotation phase. While today most of these factors are understood, little is known regarding the interaction of filaments with other filaments, high-frequency wave patterns, and unexcitable obstacles. The development of a comprehensive understanding of these types of interactions defines the primary intellectual merit of the proposed research. Experiments will employ the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction and use detection techniques such as optical tomography. Experimental results will be compared to numerical simulations of semi-quantitative and general kinematic models. In particular, scroll wave pinning to and unpinning from unexcitable obstacles has a profound broader impact because dangerous reentrant waves in the human heart potentially attach to anatomical and pathological defects. In this context, the project will yield fundamental insights into the occurrence of "sudden cardiac death" which kills more than 300,000 people per year in the US alone. Moreover, our project will further the education of several undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students. Professor Steinbock will also continue his commitment to involve underrepresented groups and participate in programs that aim to increase their leadership roles in research and academia. In addition, his team will develop and implement novel outreach activities to communicate key results to the public FSU's Global Educational Outreach Program, PodCasts, popular websites such as YouTube, and local activities such as FSU's Honors Program and the "Saturday Morning Physics" series.