The stability of a step-like contrast structure in the case of a multiple root of the equation for the transition point (Q1874851)

This paper deals with the stability of a stationary solution of the parabolic equation \[ \varepsilon^{2}\partial^{2}U/\partial x^{2}-\partial U/\partial t=f(U,t),\quad 0<x<1,\quad t>0, \] \[ \partial U(0,t,\varepsilon)/\partial x=\partial U(1,t,\varepsilon)/ \partial x=0, \] where \(\varepsilon>0\) is a small parameter. In [Differ. Uravn. 34, No. 8, 1029--1038 (1998; Zbl 1040.34519)], the authors constructed a solution \(u(x,\varepsilon)\) of the corresponding stationary problem under the conditions (i)--(iii) below. (i) The equation \(f(u,x)=0\) has three roots \(u= \varphi_{i}(x)\), \(i=1,2,3\), for each \(x\in [0,1]\); moreover, \(\varphi_{1} (x)< \varphi_{2}(x)< \varphi_{3} (x)\), there is no root other than \(\varphi_{2}\) between \(\varphi_{1}\) and \(\varphi_{3} \), \(f_{u}(\varphi_{i} (x), x)>0\), \(i=1,3\), and \(f_{u}(\varphi_{2}(x), x)<0\). (ii) The equation \[ I(x):=\int^{\varphi_{3} (x)}_{\varphi_{1} (x)} f(u,x)\, du=0 \] has a root \(x=\bar{x}_{0}\in (0,1)\) such that \(I^{\prime} (\bar{x}_{0})=0\neq I^{\prime\prime} (\bar{x}_{0})\). (iii) \(I^{\prime\prime} (\bar{x}_{0})k_{1}>0\), where \(k_{1}\) is a known number that can be expressed effectively via the function \(f\). The analysis of the stability of the stationary solution \(u(x,\varepsilon)\) is reduced to find the signs of eigenvalues of the Strum-Liouville equation \[ \varepsilon^{2}v^{\prime\prime}= [f_{u}(u(x,\varepsilon),x)+ \lambda]v,\qquad 0<x<1, \] \[ v^{\prime}(0,\varepsilon)= v^{\prime}(1,\varepsilon)= 0. \] In the present paper the authors prove that the maximal eigenvalue \(\lambda\) admits the asymptotic expansion of the form \[ \lambda\sim \varepsilon^{3/2} \lambda_{3}+ \varepsilon^{2}\lambda_{4}+ \ldots+\varepsilon^{k/2} \lambda_{k}+\ldots, \] which can determine the stability of the stationary solution.