Spiral waves in fractal dimensions and their elimination in λ − ω systems with less damaging intervention

Abstract

The theory of spiral waves in excitable media is considered an important topic in several dynamical systems. They have been observed in various physicochemical and biological systems such as the Belousov-Zhabotinsky chemical reactions, lethal arrhythmia in the heart, amoebas Dictyostelium discoideium, disinhibited mammalian neocortex retinal spreading depression, and seizures in the brain. In this study, spiral waves in an excitable system are analytically studied in fractal dimensions based on the theory of integration and differentiation for a non-integer dimensional space. We consider the generic oscillatory model λ−ω system characterized by a rotational symmetry where spiral waves are expected to occur. It was observed that for lower fractal dimensions with respect to unity, spiral waves may be suppressed in an excitable media without destroying the propagation of normal waves. This may be considered as an alternative approach to experimental and numerical approaches found in the literature. Their eliminations are important since they forbid the transition to a chaotic state in excitable media. Our approach could contribute to an improved therapy of clinical conditions such as atrial fibrillation and suppressing arrhythmias in cardiac models.