Dynamics of a spiral pair source and its interaction with plane waves

Abstract: Spiral pair creation and dynamics is a widely occurring phenomenon in nature. It can appear in the heart tissue, causing severe arrhythmia, known as a figure-eight reentry. We consider the appearance of a spiral pair source, its minimal strength for survival, and the possible results of its interaction with a plane wave. In particular, its ability to outlast such an encounter is of interest. We also consider the question of exposing the source to a train of pulses, in terms of the frequency and angle of encounter. Results show different regimes of behavior, e.g. source annihilation, motion of the source away from, or towards the origin of the plane waves, its breaking and multiplication. Relevance of these results to heart arrhythmia and their possible cancellation by external pacing are briefly discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]