Talk:Reaction-diffusion systems

"A major development that opened the way to a detailed experimental study of reaction-diffusion systems and stimulated, in parallel, important theoretical developments has been the systematic use of open reactors, whereby the system is maintained in a nonequilibrium state as long as desired, through the pumping of fresh reactants (the rate of which determines the distance from equilibrium) and the outflow of used products. In addition to the steady state extrapolating the familiar equilibrium like behavior a rich phenomenology was revealed as key parameters were varied : simple periodic, multi-periodic and chaotic oscillations ; multistability, i.e., the coexistence of more than one simultaneously stable states; and excitability, whereby once perturbed a system performs an extended excursion before settling back to its original stable state. A most exciting set of behaviors pertains to space patterning, made possible when stirring is not imposed within the reactor. Propagating wave fronts, or stabilized ones like a flame separating fresh and burnt reactants in combustion, are familiar examples. A still different form of spatial organization is the formation of regular steady state patterns arising from the spontaneous symmetry breaking of a spatially uniform state (see Fig. 1)."

The above paragraph contains several inaccuracies. First, various wave patterns have discovered in the closed BZ reaction-diffusion systems before CFUR was introduced. Second, mentioning stirring and flame creates confusion since the article deals with reaction-diffusion systems, it mentions reaction-diffusion-advection systems briefly and does not mention the perfect mixing systems. It would be better to clearly define CFUR as the open system under discussion.

ANSWER TO REFEREE: We thank the referee for his/her comments. We have now changed the above paragraph to clarify the fact that non-trivial temporal dynamics have been obtained before in CSTR's. In the first paragraph of the article, we are also mentioning now that wave-like patterns have been obtained long ago in closed systems. As spatial patterns like fronts have been characterized in many spatially-extended open systems before the use of CFURs, we prefer here to refer to "real world situations in chemistry, engineering and biology" rather than to define the CFUR. We hope the changes will answer the referee's constructive remarks.