Gentle dragging of reaction waves

Using a recently realized "addressable catalyst surface" [Science 294, 134 (2001)] we study the interaction of chemical reaction waves with prescribed spatiotemporal fields. In particular, we study how a traveling chemical pulse is "dragged" by a localized, moving temperature heterogeneity as a function of its intensity and speed. The acceleration and eventual "detachment" of the wave from the heterogeneity is also explored through simulation and stability analysis