Study of propagation along nonuniform excitable fibers
Two related reaction diffusion systems which support traveling wave solutions when parameters are constant are studied when there are jump discontinuities in the diffusion coefficient. The first system represents a classical axon model where the fiber has a jump in diameter at discrete locations, and the membrane dynamics represents that of barnacle muscle (which we call Morris-Lecar dynamics). The second model represents a passive cable with a uniform density of spines which have Morris-Lecar dynamics. Use of a conditional comparison principle establishes conditions where a traveling wave solution can be blocked from propagating beyond the change in fiber diameter. The authors then examine numerically for both models conditions on physical parameters which show that traveling wave solutions are blocked by changes in the fiber diameter, when propagation is successful, and when there is both forward propagation and the formation of a reflecting (echo) wave.
- Research Organization:
- State Univ. of New York, Buffalo, NY (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 7204344
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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