A free boundary arising from a model for nerve conduction (Q1107027)

Consider the initial value problem for the following system \[ u_ t=u_{xx}+f(u)-w,\quad w_ t=\epsilon (u-\gamma w) \] with initial conditions \(u(x,0)=u_ 0(x)\), \(w(x,0)=0\). Here \(\epsilon\) and \(\gamma\) are positive constants and \(f(u)=-u+H(u-a)\), H being the Heaviside function and \(a\in (0,).\) Assume that \(u_ 0\) is an even function with values in [0,1] and that there exists a unique constant \(x_ 0>0\) such that \(u_ 0(x_ 0)=a\) and \(u_ 0(x)>a\) for \(| x| <x_ 0.\) In a previous paper [J. Differ. Equations 47, 406-443 (1983; Zbl 0468.35054)] the author has proved that if some additional assumptions on \(u_ 0\) are satisfied, then for sufficiently small \(\epsilon\) and sufficiently large \(x_ 0\) signal propagates at infinity. Moreover precisely, if \(s(t)=\sup \{x:\) \(u(x,t)=a\}\), then \(\lim_{t\to \infty} s(t)=\infty\). In this paper the asymptotic behaviour of s(t) is analyzed, with the aim of showing that when \(\epsilon\) tends to zero s(t) approaches a travelling wave solution of the equation \(u_ t=u_{xx}+f(u)\).