Stability of stationary solutions of a one-dimensional parabolic equation with homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions (Q1181694)

The authors study the nonlinear parabolic initial boundary value problem \(u_ t=u_{xx}+F(x,u)\) in \([0,\pi]\times\mathbb{R}_ +\), \(u(x,0)=\psi(x)\) with homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions and prove a criterion for the stability of stationary solutions. For functions \(F\) of the special type \(F(x,u)=f(u)-g(x)\) the authors are interested in the change of the stability behaviour of stationary solutions regarded as perturbed solutions of the autonomous case \(g=0\). Under sufficient conditions for \(g\) they give an inclusion theorem for stationary solutions. Next it is motivated by numerical computations and finally shown for an explicit example that besides the solutions found as perturbations of stable solutions of the autonomous problem there appear additional stable solutions of the perturbed equation.