6–10 Jul 2026
University of the Western Cape
Africa/Johannesburg timezone
**Tours now open!** Registration is now closed - All registration payments are due before 23:39 SAST on 26 June.

Turing instability and pattern formation in a confined reaction diffusion field

7 Jul 2026, 17:20
1h 20m
Great Hall (University of the Western Cape)

Great Hall

University of the Western Cape

Poster Presentation Track F - Applied Physics Poster Session 1

Speaker

Edward Nkadimeng (University of the Witwatersrand)

Description

Reaction diffusion systems can spontaneously develop stable spatial
concentration patterns when two coupled chemical species diffuse at
sufficiently different rates, a symmetry-breaking phenomenon known
as the Turing instability. The onset of this instability depends
critically on the ratio of inhibitor to activator diffusivities,
$d = D_v/D_u$, and on the reaction kinetics, both of which are
sensitive to ambient thermodynamic conditions. We propose a
computational framework for modelling this instability in a confined
geometry, with thermodynamic boundary conditions parameterised across
a two-dimensional space of temperature $T$ and relative humidity
$\phi$. Linear stability analysis will identify the Turing threshold
as a function of $d$ and $T$, and numerical integration of the
coupled field equations will yield spatial concentration profiles
and field maps across the instability boundary.

Apply for student award at which level: None
Consent on use of personal information: Abstract Submission Yes, I ACCEPT

Authors

Edward Nkadimeng (University of the Witwatersrand) Dr Sthandiwe Kanyile (University of Pretoria)

Presentation materials

There are no materials yet.