How unstable is spatial homogeneity in Keller-Segel systems? A new critical mass phenomenon in two- and higher-dimensional parabolic-elliptic cases (Q2419957)

The parabolic-elliptic Keller-Segel system of chemotaxis is studied on the balls of $\mathbb R^n$ with the homogeneous Neumann conditions on the boundary. An interesting phenomena of instability of sufficiently large homogeneous solutions is proved. The key property which distinguish global in time and blowing up in a finite time radial solutions is the behaviour of their averages on the balls. To prove blow-up, a family of stationary subsolutions is constructed (Lemma 3.1). The solutions emanating from them blow up. For the proof of global solvability, a Bernstein-type argument is used to the equation of evolution of the averages of solutions, together with a family of supersolutions.