Chevron patterns and defect lattices in an anisotropic model for electroconvection

Chevron patterns and defect lattices are unique patterns found in the electrohydrodynamic convection of nematic liquid crystals. We study numerically the stability and bifurcations of the chevron patterns and the limit-cycle oscillation of defect lattices using a two-dimensional anisotropic model equation. Simplified one dimensional models are derived by truncating Fourier modes from the two-dimensional model to qualitatively understand the chevron patterns and the defect lattices. The pattern formation and the dynamical behaviors in the one-dimensional models are compared with the numerical simulations of the two-dimensional model.