Spatial homogeneity of stable solutions of some periodic-parabolic problems with Neumann boundary conditions (Q1089508)

The author considers the system of semilinear parabolic equations \[ (1)\quad u_ t-\Delta u=f(t,u,\nabla u)\text{ in } \Omega \times R \] under Neumann and periodic conditions \[ (2)\quad \partial u/\partial n=0\text{ on } \partial \Omega \times R,\quad (3)\quad u(x,t)=u(x,t+T)\text{ any } x\in \Omega,\quad t\in R, \] where f is periodic in t with the period \(T>0\) and \(\Omega \subset R^ N\) is bounded. He proves that if one of the conditions (i), (ii) below holds (in addition to some smoothness conditions) then any stable solution of (1)-(3) is spatially homogeneous i.e. is a function of t only. (i) (1) is a scalar equation (u takes values in R) and in this case either \(\Omega\) is convex or f(t,.,.) is convex or concave for all t. (ii) (1) is a cooperative system and \(\Omega\) is convex. In particular, if (1) is autonomous then any stable equilibrium is constant. This generalizes the well-known results (dealing with f independent of u) of \textit{H. Matano} [Publ. Res. Inst. Math. Sci. 15, 401-454 (1979; Zbl 0445.35063)] and \textit{R. G. Casten} and \textit{C. J. Holland} [J. Differ. Equations 27, 266-273 (1978; Zbl 0338.35055)] for scalar equations and of \textit{K. Kishimoto} and \textit{H. F. Weinberger} [ibid. 58, 15-21 (1985; Zbl 0599.35080)] for cooperative systems.