What is the Gray-Scott model?

A two-species reaction-diffusion system based on coupled PDEs for U (activator) and V (inhibitor). The feed rate F replenishes U and the kill rate k removes V; their interplay drives pattern formation.

How do Turing patterns form?

Alan Turing showed in 1952 that a slowly-diffusing activator coupled with a faster-diffusing inhibitor can spontaneously break spatial symmetry and produce stable concentration patterns such as spots and stripes.

What determines spot vs stripe patterns?

The ratio of diffusion constants Du/Dv and the feed-kill (F, k) parameter pair. Near the Turing instability boundary, small changes in k shift the system from spots to stripes or labyrinthine waves.

Can I add my own chemical seeds?

Yes — click anywhere on the canvas to drop a circular patch of V chemical. The reaction then spreads outward, competing with existing patterns to create unique structures.

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🧪 Gray-Scott Reaction-Diffusion Simulator

Interactive Gray-Scott reaction-diffusion simulator. Watch Turing patterns self-organise — coral reefs, stripes, spots, solitons and labyrinthine waves emerge from two coupled PDEs.

Chaos & Dynamics2DModerate60 FPS

⚙ Under the hood

This simulation illustrates reaction-diffusion systems, a type of nonlinear dynamical system. It demonstrates how chemical reactions can create complex patterns and structures over time.

Gray-ScottReaction Diffusion

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install