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Oscillating wave fronts in isothermal chemical systems with arbitrary powers of autocatalysis. (English) Zbl 0809.92027

Summary: The propagation of planar reaction-diffusion waves in the isothermal autocatalytic system \(A + mB \to (m+1)B\), rate \(kab^ m\), is considered. Attention is paid to the case when the diffusion coefficient of reactant \(A\) is much less than that of the autocatalyst; the case when \(A\) is completely immobilized is discussed in detail. Permanent-form travelling waves are initiated and their structure is treated. It is found that for sufficiently large values of \(m\) this steady wave structure becomes unstable to longitudinal disturbances and an oscillatory wave structure develops. The structure of this propagating oscillatory reaction- diffusion front is also discussed.

MSC:

92E20 Classical flows, reactions, etc. in chemistry
35Q92 PDEs in connection with biology, chemistry and other natural sciences
35K57 Reaction-diffusion equations
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