Dynamics of interfaces in reaction diffusion systems

estimates of the thickness of the layer region free boundary problem limiting equation matched asymptotic expansions propagation of chemical waves in excitable media reaction-diffusion system

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Reaction-diffusion equations (35K57) Free boundary problems for PDEs (35R35)

Review text

The author considers phenomena at the interface for a nonlinear partial differential equation of parabolic type. The equations considered are \[ \left.\begin{matrix} \partial u/\partial t = \epsilon\Delta u + {1\over\epsilon} f(u,v) \\ \partial v/ \partial t = D\Delta v + g(u,v)\end{matrix}\right\}\quad x\in \mathbb{R}^ n,\;t>0, \tag{1} \] with the initial condition (2) \(u(x,0) = \phi(x),\) \(x \in \mathbb{R}^ n,\) \(v(x,0)=\psi(x), x \in {\mathbb{R}}^ n.\) The nonlinear terms \(f\) and \(g\) in the equations are \(f(u,v)=F(u)-v=u(1-u)(u-a)-v,\) \(0 < a < 1,\) \(g(u,v)=u- \gamma v,\) \(\gamma>0.\) The equation is a prototype of modelling the propagation of chemical waves in excitable media. Typically there is a short time period in which interfaces are born followed by a period of evolution of the interfaces. First the author gives estimates of the thickness of the layer region and of the length of the time interval for formation of such sharp transition layers. Then he studies the evolution of the interfaces by the method of matched asymptotic expansions, after making several hypotheses on the limiting behavior of the solutions as \(\epsilon\downarrow 0\), for which I must refer to the paper. After these hypotheses, the limiting equation can be written \[ \left.\begin{matrix}\partial v/ \partial t = D \Delta v + g_{\pm}(v)\\ \partial\Gamma/ \partial t = \{W(v) - \epsilon(n- 1)\kappa\} \mathcal N, \;\eta\in M\end{matrix}\right\}\quad t>0 \tag{3} \] with the initial condition \(v(x,0) = \psi(x)\), \(x \in\mathbb{R}^ n,\) \[ \Gamma(\eta,t) = S(\eta), \quad \eta\in M.\tag{4} \] Here \(\Gamma(\cdot,t):M \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^ n\) is an imbedding of an \((n-1)\)- dimensional compact manifold \(M\) into \(\mathbb{R}^ n\), and \(\Gamma(t)\) is the imbedded hypersurface \(\{\Gamma(\eta,t):\eta \in M\}\). The functions \(g_{\pm}\) are defined by \(g\) at the interface, \(\kappa(\eta,t)\) is the mean curvature of the hypersurface at the point \(x = \Gamma(\eta,t)\), and \({\mathcal N}(\eta,t)\) is the unit normal vector of \(\Gamma(t)\). The author suggests that there are two main problems concerning (P1) Prove rigorously that the equation holds in the limit as \(\epsilon\downarrow 0\). (P2) Study the free boundary problem and compare the results with the properties of the solutions of the original problem (1)-(2). He considers problem (P2) for this system. He proves existence locally in time and regularity of classical solutions of (3)-(4).

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