Using a 2D cellular automata and parallel computing to simulate the Belousov Zhabotinsky reaction.
"The Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction is an example of a temporally oscillating chemical
reaction. An unusual and interesting feature of the reaction is that as it progresses on a twodimensional
plate, self-organized spirals are formed. Many computer models have been constructed
of the BZ reaction to simulate the evolution of these spirals. The models typically use
cellular automata to allow progression of a wavefront through a notional substrate. Usually a
single substrate is used with somewhat arbitrary transference rules. Here it is shown that cellular
automata models of BZ spirals can be created by using a very simple set of equations based
on a three substrate model with close connection to reaction-diffusion models, more closely resembling
the actual BZ reaction. Source code for the model is given in the Processing language."
Title: "A Simple Model of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky Reaction from First Principles"
Author: Alasdair Turner
email: [email protected]
Date: 19 March 2009