Critical fronts in initiation of excitation waves

Abstract

We consider the problem of initiation of propagating wave in a one-dimensional excitable fiber. In the FitzHugh-Nagumo theory, the key role is played by ``critical nucleus'' and ``critical pulse'' solutions whose (center-)stable manifold is the threshold surface separating initial conditions leading to propagation and those leading to decay. We present evidence that in cardiac excitation models, this role is played by ``critical front'' solutions.

Six pages, five figures. This is the version that was resubmitted to Phys Rev E on June 13, 2007

Cited by in corpus (1)

• An analytical approach to initiation of propagating fronts