Instabilities in networks of reactors coupled by photochemical feedback

We study homogeneous networks of monostable photochemically coupled reactors. The homogeneous steady state of such networks can undergo stationary or oscillatory pattern-forming instabilities. We derive analytical expressions for the thresholds of these instabilities and determine the most unstable mode of the system. We apply our results to the Lengyel–Epstein model of the chlorine dioxide–iodine–malonic acid reaction.