Numerical analysis of a singularly perturbed nonlinear reaction-diffusion problem with multiple solutions (Q1886268)

The singularly perturbed nonlinear reaction diffusion boundary value problem studied is: \[ -\varepsilon^2u''+b(x,u)=0, \quad u(0)=g_0, \quad u(1)=g_1. \] The problem is converted to a dynamical system and studied from this point of view. Under suitable assumptions, sub-solutions and super-solutions are obtained and existence of (possibly multiple) solutions is shown. Analogous results for a three point discretization for Bakhalov and Shishkin type meshes are obtained using a Z-field theory, due to \textit{J. Lorenz} [Nonsingular singular perturbation problems and the Enquist-Osher scheme. Report 8115, Math. Inst., Catholic Univ. Nijmegen (1981)]. Numerical results verifying the theoretical results are given for an example having two solutions.