Quantized Spiral Tip Motion in Excitable Systems with Periodic Heterogeneities

Abstract

Meandering spiral tips in homogeneous reaction-diffusion systems are characterized by two generically incommensurate radii and frequencies. Here, we create periodic perturbations in space to induce a transition to commensurate radii and frequencies that exhibit a devil's staircase. The plateaus of the staircase correspond to pinned or complex periodic orbits of the spiral tip.