A dynamical system approach to a phase transition problem (Q1181690)

The authors give a very detailed analysis on the global dynamics defined by the following reaction diffusion system; \[ \begin{cases} \partial_ tp=\nu\partial_{xx}p-\eta\partial_{xx}q+\sigma(q)- P\quad\text{in}\quad (0,\infty)\times(0,1)\\ \partial_ tq=\partial_{xx}p\quad\text{in}\quad (0,\infty)\times(0,1)\\ p_ x(0,t)=p(1,t)=q_ x(0,t)=q_ x(1,t)=0\quad\text{on}\quad (0,\infty).\end{cases} \tag{E} \] In general, it is not easy to determine the global property of the dynamical system concretely given by a nonlinear PDE. The authors characterized all the equilibrium solutions from the point of view of the bifurcation theory and show that a global compact attractor exists and it consists of equilibrium points and connecting orbits between those points. Quantitative properties of the heteroclinic orbits are also given. The authors use the Conley's index and connection matrix theory very effectively.