High-frequency instabilities of small-amplitude solutions of Hamiltonian PDEs (Q525518)

The authors consider the autonomous system of PDEs \[ u_t=J\frac{\delta H}{\delta u},\;u=(u_1(x,t),\dots,u_M(x,t))^T \eqno{(1)} \] where \(J\) is a Poisson operator, \(H=\int\limits_{D}\mathcal{H}(u,u_x,\dots)dx,\) (\(D\) is an interval) is the Hamiltonian, whose density \(\mathcal{H}\) depends on \(u\) and its partial derivatives with the aim to investigate the spectral stability of periodic solutions. For the investigation of the stability of travelling-wave solutions with speed \(c\), the transformations \(\widehat{x}=x-ct,\;\widehat{t}=t, u(\widehat{x},\widehat{t})=u(\widehat{t})\) are used. If \(J\) is invertible, travelling waves are stationary points of the transformed Hamiltonian \(H_c\): \[ u_t-cu_x=J\frac{\delta H}{\delta u}\leftrightarrow u_t=J\frac{\delta H_c}{\delta u}\eqno{(2)} \] \[ -cU_x=J\frac{\delta H}{\delta U}\leftrightarrow 0=J\frac{\delta H_c}{\delta U}. \eqno{(3)} \] The basic steps of the article are: 1. A linear system of equations is obtained by linearizing system (3) around the zero solution: let \(u = \epsilon v +o(\epsilon)\) and omit terms of order \(o(\epsilon)\), \(v\) is the constant velocity. Alternatively, if \(J\) is independent of \(u\) and its spatial derivatives, one may expand the Hamiltonian \(H_c\) as a function of \(\epsilon\) and retain its quadratic terms. The resulting Hamiltonian \(H^0_c\) of the linearized system is the starting point for the next steps. 2. The linearized system is solved using Fourier analysis. The dispersion relation \(F(\omega; k) = 0\) arises. It allows one to pass to step (3). 3. The values of the phase speed \(c_j = \omega_j/k\) for which nontrivial solutions bifurcate away from the zero-amplitude solution are determined by the condition that the zero solution is not the unique solution to the Fourier transformed problem. 4. The spectrum of the linear operator determining the spectral stability of the zero solution at the bifurcation point on the first branch is computed. Since this spectral problem has constant coefficients, this calculation can be done explicitly. 5. Given the explicit expression for the eigenvalues \(\lambda\), it is easy to find the conditions for which eigenvalues corresponding to different parameters (Floquet exponent, branch number of the dispersion relation, etc.) coincide on the imaginary axis. This is called collision condition. 6. Having obtained the stability spectrum at the starting point of the bifurcation branches, one would like to know how the spectrum evolves as we move along a bifurcation branch. One tool to investigate this is the Krein signature [\textit{R. Kollár} and \textit{P. D. Miller}, SIAM Rev. 56, No. 1, 73--123 (2014; Zbl 1300.47078); \textit{M. G. Kreĭn}, Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR, n. Ser. 73, 445--448 (1950; Zbl 0041.05602); Usp. Mat. Nauk 6, No. 1(41), 171--177 (1951; Zbl 0044.09001); \textit{J. D. Meiss}, Differential dynamical systems. Philadelphia, PA: Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) (2007; Zbl 1144.34001)]. The Krein signature of an eigenvalue is the sign of the Hamiltonian of the linearized system evaluated on the eigenspace of the eigenvalue. If the Krein signatures are equal, the eigenvalues will remain on the imaginary axis as the amplitude is increased. Otherwise, the eigenvalues may leave the imaginary axis, giving raise to a Hamiltonian Hopf bifurcation [\textit{J.-C. van der Meer}, The Hamiltonian Hopf bifurcation. Berlin etc.: Springer-Verlag (1985; Zbl 0585.58019)], resulting in instability. The Krein signature condition cannot be expressed entirely in terms of the dispersion relation, and the coefficients of \(H^0_c\) are required as well. 7. The general theory changes as the Poisson structure of the Hamiltonian partial differential equation is changed. Two important cases of such Poisson structures are worked out in full generality. An example not fitting these two important cases is presented as well, using a Boussinesq-Whitham equation.