Spiral waves are induced in a thin layer of the light-sensitive Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction and controlled by a time-dependent uniform illumination. The intensity of the illumination is taken to be proportional to the average wave activity observed within a circular domain of the reaction layer. Stabilization and destabilization of spiral waves, as well as the existence of additional types of attractors, are demonstrated. A simple mathematical description is proposed in order to explain the existence of the attractors and the dependence of their size on the time delay in the feedback loop.

• Received 16 March 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.64.035201