Adjoint eigenfunctions of temporally recurrent single-spiral solutions in a simple model of atrial fibrillation

This paper introduces a numerical method for computing the spectrum of adjoint (left) eigenfunctions of spiral wave solutions to reaction-diffusion systems in arbitrary geometries. The method is illustrated by computing over a hundred eigenfunctions associated with an unstable time-periodic single-spiral solution of the Karma model on a square domain. We show that all leading adjoint eigenfunctions are exponentially localized in the vicinity of the spiral tip, although the marginal modes (response functions) demonstrate the strongest localization. We also discuss the implications of the localization for the dynamics and control of unstable spiral waves. In particular, the interaction with no-flux boundaries leads to a drift of spiral waves which can be understood with the help of the response functions.