Heteroclinic connections in the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation: A computer assisted proof (Q1371168)

The authors investigate the system of differential equations \(\dot x_0= x_1\), \(\dot x_1= x_2\), \(\dot x_2= -\lambda x_1- 0,5x^2_0+ 1\) with parameter \(\lambda\) (for \(\lambda=1\) this system can be considered as a finite-dimensional approximation of the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation, well known from the nonlinear theory of hydrodynamical stability). A solution \(x(t)\) is called heteroclinic connection, if \(\lim_{t\to-\infty} x(t)= (-\sqrt 2,0,0)\), \(\lim_{t\to\infty} x(t)= (\sqrt 2,0,0)\). It is known that the above system admits a heteroclinic connection for \(\lambda= 0\) [\textit{Ch. Conley}, Isolated invariant sets and the Morse index, Regional Conference Series in Mathematics, No. 38, Providence, R.I., AMS (1978; Zbl 0397.34056)] and for \(\lambda= 1\) [\textit{W. C. Troy}, J. Differ. Equations 82, No. 2, 269-313 (1989; Zbl 0693.34053)]. Now the authors extend the results of Conley and Troy and prove that a heteroclinic connection exists for every \(\lambda\in [0,1]\). The proof is based on some topological properties of the Conley index and on the existence of a precisely described set called here an isolating neighbourhood; the latter can be established via rigorous numerics.