Issue |
Math. Model. Nat. Phenom.
Volume 5, Number 5, 2010
Reaction-diffusion waves
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 64 - 79 | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/mmnp/20105505 | |
Published online | 27 July 2010 |
On the Form of Smooth-Front Travelling Waves in a Reaction-Diffusion Equation with Degenerate Nonlinear Diffusion
Department of Mathematics and Maxwell Institute for Mathematical Sciences,
Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14
4AS, UK
* Corresponding author: E-mail:
jas@ma.hw.ac.uk
Reaction-diffusion equations with degenerate nonlinear diffusion are in widespread use as models of biological phenomena. This paper begins with a survey of applications to ecology, cell biology and bacterial colony patterns. The author then reviews mathematical results on the existence of travelling wave front solutions of these equations, and their generation from given initial data. A detailed study is then presented of the form of smooth-front waves with speeds close to that of the (unique) sharp-front solution, for the particular equation ut = (uux)x + u(1 − u). Using singular perturbation theory, the author derives an asymptotic approximation to the wave, which gives valuable information about the structure of smooth-front solutions. The approximation compares well with numerical results.
Mathematics Subject Classification: 35K57 / 35K65 / 92B05
Key words: nonlinear diffusion / travelling waves / sharp front / smooth front
© EDP Sciences, 2010
Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.
Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.
Initial download of the metrics may take a while.