Global dynamics of approximate solutions to an age-structured epidemic model with diffusion

We consider an age-dependent s-i-s epidemic model with diffusion whose mortality is unbounded. We approximate the solution using Galerkin methods in the space variable combined with backward Euler along the characteristic direction in the age and time variables. It is proven that the scheme is stable and convergent in optimal rate in l ^∞,2 (L ²) norm. To investigate the global behavior of the discrete solution resulting from the algorithm, we reformulate the resulting system into a monotone form. Positivity of the nonlocal birth process is proved using the positivity of the first eigenvalue of the resulting matrix system and using the fact that the positivity is preserved along the characteristics. The difference equation of the steady state coupled with nonlocal birth process is solved by developing monotone iterative schemes. The stability of the discrete solution of the steady state is then analyzed by constructing suitable positive subsolutions. Mathematics subject classifications (2000) 65M12, 65M25, 65M60, 92D25 M.-Y. Kim: This work was supported by Korea Research Foundation Grant (KRF-2001-041-D00037).