The Appropriate Context for the Analysis of the Explosive Mode in Reactive Systems

Abstract

The explosive mode that arises in the dynamics of the chemical kinetics term attracts particular attention because it is a mode that tends to drive a reacting system away from equilibrium. This is a slow mode that coexists with (1) a number of fast dissipative modes that tend to drive rapidly the system to equilibrium; and (2) a number of other slow dissipative modes, which compete with the explosive mode for the control of the system evolution after the fast modes become exhausted. Here, the proper context is established for the analysis of the explosive mode by accounting for the influence of all other modes present, both exhausted and active. It is shown that the analysis of an explosive mode is meaningful only when the fast dissipative modes become exhausted and this mode is among the slow modes that drive the system. The conclusions are highlighted through the analysis of a simple model.