  Reaction-diffusion systems can describe a wide class of rhythmic
spatiotemporal patterns observed in chemical and biological systems, such as
circulating pulses on a ring, oscillating spots, target waves, and rotating
spirals. These rhythmic dynamics can be considered limit cycles of
reaction-diffusion systems. However, the conventional phase-reduction theory,
which provides a simple unified framework for analyzing synchronization
properties of limit-cycle oscillators subjected to weak forcing, has mostly
been restricted to low-dimensional dynamical systems. Here, we develop a
phase-reduction theory for stable limit-cycle solutions of infinite-dimensional
reaction-diffusion systems. By generalizing the notion of isochrons to
functional space, the phase sensitivity function - a fundamental quantity for
phase reduction - is derived. For illustration, several rhythmic dynamics of
the FitzHugh-Nagumo model of excitable media are considered. Nontrivial phase
response properties and synchronization dynamics are revealed, reflecting their
complex spatiotemporal organization. Our theory will provide a general basis
for the analysis and control of spatiotemporal rhythms in various
reaction-diffusion systems.
