Pattern formation and symmetry-breaking bifurcations fueled by dissipation of chemical energy: a possible model for morphogenesis?*2

A solution containing a reacting, autocatalytic and bistable chemical system can spontaneously form patterns and structure from erstwhile homogenous aqueous reaction solutions. Among some of the patterns formed are concentric rings and thermal plumes. The exothermic chemical reaction fuels the pattern-formation through a coupling of Marangoni and Rayleigh±BeÂnard-type thermogravitatioal effects. The thermogravitational effects arise from multicomponent convection which fuels the formation of salt ®ngers. These ®ngers later curl upwards to form thermal plumes. The concentric patterns result from the formation of a complete convective torus. The formation a series of stationary convective tori suggest that there is a possibility of other mechanisms in solution which can form Turing-like patterns.