Complex Patterns in a Simple System

Abstract

Numerical simulations of a simple reaction--diffusion model reveal a surprising variety of irregular spatio--temporal patterns. These patterns arise in response to finite--amplitude perturbations. Some of them resemble the steady irregular patterns discussed by Lee et al. Others consist of spots which grow until they reach a critical size at which time they divide in two. If, in some region, the spots become overcrowded, all the spots in that region decay into the uniform background.