Fluctuation-induced pattern formation in a surface reaction

Spontaneous nucleation, pulse formation and propagation failure have been observed experimentally in $\chem{CO}$ oxidation on Pt(110) at intermediate pressures ($\approx {10^{-2}}$ mbar). This phenomenon can be reproduced with a stochastic model that includes temperature effects. Nucleation occurs randomly due to fluctuations in the reaction processes, whereas the subsequent damping out essentially follows the deterministic path. Conditions for the occurence of stochastic effects in the pattern formation during $\chem{CO}$ oxidation on Pt are discussed.