Multiple front standing waves in the FitzHugh-Nagumo equations (Q2232205): Difference between revisions

Consider the following system of FitzHugh-Nagumo equations \begin{gather*} \tag{1.1} u_t - d u_{xx} = f(u) - v, \\ \tag{1.2} \tau v_t - v_{xx} = u - \gamma v, \end{gather*} where \(f(\xi)=\xi(\xi-\beta)(1-\xi),\beta\in(0,\frac{1}{2})\) and \(d,\tau,\gamma\in (0,+\infty).\) The standing wave solutions of (1.1)--(1.2) are the connecting orbits of a second order Lagrangian system \begin{gather*} \tag{2.1} - d u'' = f(u) - v, \\ \tag{2.2} - v'' = u - \gamma v. \end{gather*} When the system has two stable hyperbolic equilibria, there exist two stable standing fronts, which are used by the authors in this paper as building blocks, to construct stable standing waves with multiple fronts in case the equilibria are of saddle-focus type. Facing a strongly indefinite functional, the authors need to perform a nonlocal Lyapunov-Schmidt reduction. Based on this approach, both stable and unstable standing waves are found.