Filament Dynamics in Three-Dimensional Reaction-Diffusion Systems

在这个奖项，由化学系的实验物理化学计划资助，州立大学（FSU）的佛罗里达教授奥利弗斯坦博克，与他的学生研究人员一起，将调查反应化学系统中的三维波模式的动力学。 这些复杂的模式仅仅是由局部反应和扩散的相互作用引起的，而不涉及流体运动。 特别关注的是旋转三维螺旋的涡卷波。这些结构存在于各种可兴奋系统中，例如自催化化学反应、聚集的黏菌菌落、神经元组织和人类心脏。 在后一种系统中，它们可能导致危险的心律失常和纤维性颤动。 涡卷波动力学的许多方面都可以用一维空间曲线（或“细丝”）的运动来解释，涡卷波围绕这些曲线旋转。 这种运动强烈地依赖于旋转相位中的局部细丝曲率和梯度。 虽然今天这些因素中的大多数都被理解了，但关于细丝与其他细丝的相互作用，高频波模式和不可兴奋的障碍物却知之甚少。 对这些类型的相互作用的全面理解的发展定义了拟议研究的主要智力价值。 实验将采用Belousov-Zhabotinsky反应，并使用光学层析成像等检测技术。 实验结果将进行比较，半定量和一般的运动学模型的数值模拟。 特别是，涡卷波钉扎到不可兴奋的障碍物和从不可兴奋的障碍物解除钉扎具有深远的更广泛的影响，因为人类心脏中的危险折返波潜在地附着于解剖学和病理学缺陷。 在这种情况下，该项目将产生对“心源性猝死”发生的基本见解，仅在美国每年就有30多万人死于这种疾病。 此外，我们的项目将进一步培养一些本科生，研究生和博士后学生。 斯坦博克教授还将继续他的承诺，涉及代表性不足的群体，并参加旨在提高他们在研究和学术界的领导作用的计划。 此外，他的团队将开发和实施新的外展活动，向公众FSU的全球教育外展计划，播客，流行的网站，如YouTube，以及当地的活动，如FSU的荣誉计划和“星期六早晨物理”系列传达关键成果。

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.