Uploaded February 2010 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reactions selforganizes rotating spiral waves of chemical activity. In three-dimensional systems, these spirals rotate around one-dimensional curves called filaments. This example shows a scroll ring in which the filament is a circular loop. There is no fluid motion and the pattern results only from complex reactions and diffusion. During the course of minutes to hours, this type of rotating scroll rings shrink and the filament finally vanishes. This collapse is not shown in this video, which is essentially a 360 degree snapshot of the structure. We use this type of data for reconstructing the three-dimensional concentration patterns and their dynamics using optical tomography. Examples are shown on our webpage. Dynamically similar vortices exist in many systems including the human heart where they can be extremely dangerous.
The Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reactions selforganizes rotating spiral waves of chemical activity. In three-dimensional systems, these spirals rotate around one-dimensional curves called filaments. This example shows a scroll ring in which the filament is a circular loop. There is no fluid motion and the pattern results only from complex reactions and diffusion. During the course of minutes to hours, this type of rotating scroll rings shrink and the filament finally vanishes. This collapse is not shown in this video, which is essentially a 360 degree snapshot of the structure. We use this type of data for reconstructing the three-dimensional concentration patterns and their dynamics using optical tomography. Examples are shown on our webpage. Dynamically similar vortices exist in many systems including the human heart where they can be extremely dangerous.
