Leonard J.

Soltzberg
Simmons College. Boston. MA 021 15

This symposium deals with a flourishing new area of scien-
tific inquiry that spans all the sciences. Like the nroverbial
elephant perceived so differently from differeit vantage
points, self-organizing systems can be viewed from a variety
of intellectual perspectives; nonequilibrium thermodynam-
ics, catastrophe theory, nonlinearity, and deterministic cha-
os are all keywords that will lead one into the realm of self-
organizing systems.
Cutting across these different viewpoints and the various
disciplines they represent is the surprising, often counterin-
tuitive character of the phenomena of self-organization,
which have been observed in such diverse contexts as chemi-
cal reactions, fluid flow, electronic circuits, laser light emis-
sion, and the behavior of biological rhythms. For the chem-
ist, the oscillating reaction is the best-known example of
self-organization, but this phenomenon is just one exhibit
from what has been called a "zoo" of surprising phenomena.
The most freouentlv referred-to archetvne of self-oreani-
~
throughoutave been selected for accessibility to the novice
in this field.
Literature Clted
4. w i n f r & , ~ .T. ~ c i ~m:lW4,
. ~ 0 ( 6 i82.
,
5. Prigogine. I.; Nimlis, G.; Bab1ayantz.A. Phya Todor 1972,25111),23: 25112). 88
Dernonstratlons and Experlrnents
p&iods. A gas e~olutionoaeillstor (updated instructions and analysis in "A Simple
DemonaVationofaGas EvalutionOscillator", Kaushik. S. M.;Yuan,Z.; Noyss,R. M.
J. Cham.Educ. 1986.63.761. Liesegangrings.Travelingoridatiodrldvetionwaveain
en excitable medium (can be done on overhead projector). Chapter begin8 d t h s
simplined explanation of the mechanism of chemical a d l a t i o n .
'"The Salt-Water Oscillat~r.~ Yoahikawa, K. with explanatory companion paper by R M.
NoyesJ. Chsrn.Edue. 1989.66,205,207. An essilyconstructed hydrodynamicsystem,

zation seems to'be ~ i n a r dconvection (lj.'when a shallow

-~ the behavior of which illustrates the role of flunuations in triggering millation
around unstab1eatatea.
"Far from Equilibrium-The Gaa Pendulum", Soltrbarg, L. J. J. Chem. Edue. 1988,63,
1015. Simple system illultrating s b r p transition from steady state to Limit cycle
pool of liauid is heated from below. the onset of convection behavior st a liquid surface. Can be doneon an overhead projector for large elaasea.
it a criticd temperature differencd between the lower and "Far hom Equilibrium-The Continuous-Flow Bottle", Solfeberg. L. J. J. Chem. Educ.
1987.64.147, Lab demonatration or exereiae she-g bitability. oscillstion between
upper surface is accompanied hv the spontaneous annear- .. two unstable stationary states, chaos. Baaed on Field'a anelom with flow fmm beer
a k e of either a conveckve honeycomb pattern or parallel bottle (Am. Sei. 1985.73,1421.
"Far from Equilibrium-The Flashback Oscillator", S o l t z b g , L. J.; Bowher. M. M.;
convection rolls. Although the organized state has a lower Cran.. D. M.; Pazar, S. S. J. C k m . Edua 1987, €4,1043.A dramatic lecture demon-
entropy than its homog&eous antecedent, the throughput stration involvineoscihtorv m1asion ina small torch. 111uatratesb i s t a b i h . bifurca-
of energy that maintains the organization produces an over-
all increase in the entropy of the universe,-so the second law
of thermodynamics remains inviolate.
. .
Turhulcnt flow of gases and liquids displays rirh spatial a1 onciaator, non1inesr solid-state oscillator, bi-
patterns resulting from self-organization of the moving fluid
(21. At very high flow rates, fluid flow patterns take on a
particularly curious variety of self-organization called chaos ""
enfsolid-stateoseillatorj,spioningmsgnctlkickedrotator),mecbaniealDuffingoseil-
(see fiaure). Chaos is the asDect of self-organization that has lator, bounung ball.
received the most popular publicity (3).in studying chaos,
we find that even simple . svstems,
. driven far enough from
equilibrium, can show very complicated, unpredictable he-
havior.
When a simple steady state gives way t o oscillation, we
have self-organization in time. There can also he self-organi-
zation in space. in which a homoeeneous svstem soontane-
ously deveiops spatial patterns (4j.The co;er photo for this
issue of the Journal shows snatial patterns that can be een-
erated with the simplest of materials.
Self-organization is not limited to the laboratory. The
world around us is populated with structures and proresses
which arise from self-organization. There is serious analysis
which suggests that life on Earth could have originated
spontaneously thrnugh the mechanism of self-organization
(5). The relative unpredictahility of weather is due to the
chaotic character of atmospheric dynamics.
The following three papers in this symposium will serve
the reader as a good introduction to self-organization in
chemical svstems. Field law the rroundwork bv definine the
essential concepts and terms. ~ o y e sshows how chemical
A draotic or "strange" a n r a c t a (the Roessler amactor). This projection of a
reaction mechanisms can actually lead t o oscillatory hehav- three-dimensional p h a s e partran on t h e x-y plane s h o w s me bajectory of a
ior. Finally, Epstein explains the pivotal role of flow-reactor Chaotic system. The tangled a p p e a r a n c e and me f a c t that magnification would
studies, from which much of our present understanding of reveal unlimited levels of additional detall m e a n that t h e behavior of the
chemical self-organization has come. The readings suggested chaotic System never r e p e a t s itself. See Field, this issue, p. 189.

Volume 66 Number 3 March 1989 187