Spatio-temporal modelling of wave formation in an excitable chemical medium based on a revised FitzHugh-Nagumo model

The wavefront profile and the propagation velocity of waves in an experimentally observed Belousov-Zhabotinskii reaction are analyzed and a revised FitzHumgh-Nagumo(FHN) model of these systems is identified. The ratio between the excitation period and the recovery period, for a solitary wave are studied, and included within the model. Averaged travelling velocities at different spatial positions are shown to be consistent under the same experimental conditions. The relationship between the propagation velocity and the curvature of the wavefront are also studied to deduce the diffusion coefficient in the model, which is a function of the curvature of the wavefront and not a constant. The application of the identified model is demonstrated on real experimental data and validated using multi-step ahead predictions.