Hopf bifurcations in a reaction-diffusion population model with delay effect

A reaction-diffusion population model with a general time-delayed growth rate per capita is considered. The growth rate per capita can be logistic or weak Allee effect type. From a careful analysis of the characteristic equation, the stability of the positive steady state solution and the existence of forward Hopf bifurcation from the positive steady state solution are obtained via the implicit function theorem, where the time delay is used as the bifurcation parameter. The general results are applied to a “food-limited” population model with diffusion and delay effects as well as a weak Allee effect population model.     

On some free boundary problems of the prey–predator model

In this paper we investigate some free boundary problems for the Lotka–Volterra type prey–predator model in one space dimension. The main objective is to understand the asymptotic behavior of the two species (prey and predator) spreading via a free boundary. We prove a spreading–vanishing dichotomy, namely the two species either successfully spread to the entire space as time t goes to infinity and survive in the new environment, or they fail to establish and die out in the long run. The long time behavior of solution and criteria for spreading and vanishing are also obtained. Finally, when spreading successfully, we provide an estimate to show that the spreading speed (if exists) cannot be faster than the minimal speed of traveling wavefront solutions for the prey–predator model on the whole real line without a free boundary.     

Some convergence results for quasilinear parabolic boundary value problems in cylindrical domains of large size

The goal of this paper is to study the asymptotic behavior of the solution of the quasilinear parabolic boundary value problems defined on cylindrical domains when one or several directions go to infinity. We show that the dimension of the space can be reduced and the rate of convergence is analyzed. The evolution p$p$-Laplacian equations and the generalized heat problems are considered.     

Vacuum solution and quasineutral limit of semiconductor drift-diffusion equation

The first half of this paper is concerning with the nonlinear drift-diffusion semiconductor model in d (d?3) dimensional space. The global estimate is achieved on the evolution of support of solution and the finite speed of propagation. The proof is based on the estimate of the weighted norm with special designed weight functions. In the second half, we prove the quasineutral limit locally for 1-dimensional standard drift-diffusion model with discontinuous, sign-changing doping profile.     

Asymptotic behavior of a nonisothermal viscous Cahn-Hilliard equation with inertial term

We consider a differential model describing nonisothermal fast phase separation processes taking place in a three-dimensional bounded domain. This model consists of a viscous Cahn-Hilliard equation characterized by the presence of an inertial term χtt, χ being the order parameter, which is linearly coupled with an evolution equation for the (relative) temperature ?. The latter can be of hyperbolic type if the Cattaneo-Maxwell heat conduction law is assumed. The state variables and the chemical potential are subject to the homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions. We first provide conditions which ensure the well-posedness of the initial and boundary value problem. Then, we prove that the corresponding dynamical system is dissipative and possesses a global attractor. Moreover, assuming that the nonlinear potential is real analytic, we establish that each trajectory converges to a single steady state by using a suitable version of the ?ojasiewicz-Simon inequality. We also obtain an estimate of the decay rate to equilibrium.     

Stability of steady-state solutions to a prey-predator system with cross-diffusion

This paper is concerned with a cross-diffusion system arising in a prey-predator population model. The main purpose is to discuss the stability analysis for coexistence steady-state solutions obtained by Kuto and Yamada (J. Differential Equations, to appear). We will give some criteria on the stability of these coexistence steady states. Furthermore, we show that the Hopf bifurcation phenomenon occurs on the steady-state solution branch under some conditions.     

Spreading speeds of a Lotka-Volterra predator-prey system: The role of the predator

This paper is concerned with the spreading speeds of a modified Lotka-Volterra predator-prey system; the intention is to describe the propagation mode whereby the two species coinvade a new habitat. Under some assumptions, it is proved that the spreading speed of the prey is slower than in the case where the predator vanishes, and the density of the prey on the coexistence domain is also smaller compared with the case where interspecies actions disappear. Therefore, the predator has a negative effect on the evolution of the prey by slowing the spreading speed and decreasing the population density of the prey.     

Asymptotics for a free boundary model in price formation

We study the asymptotics for a large time of solutions to a one-dimensional parabolic evolution equation with non-standard measure-valued right hand side, that involves derivatives of the solution computed at a free boundary point. The problem is a particular case of a mean-field free boundary model proposed by Lasry-Lions on price formation and dynamic equilibria.The main step in the proof is based on the fact that the free boundary disappears in the linearized problem, thus it can be treated as a perturbation through semigroup theory. This requires a delicate choice for the function spaces since higher regularity is needed near the free boundary. We show global existence for solutions with initial data in a small neighborhood of any equilibrium point, and exponential decay towards a stationary state. Moreover, the family of equilibria of the equation is stable, as follows from center manifold theory.     

The diffusive logistic model with a free boundary in heterogeneous environment

In this paper, we study the population dynamics of an invasive species in heterogeneous environment which is modeled by a diffusive logistic equation with free boundary condition. To understand the effect of the dispersal rate D and the parameter μ (the ratio of the expansion speed of the free boundary and the population gradient at the expanding front) on the dynamics of this model, we divide the heterogeneous environment into two cases: strong heterogeneous environment and weak heterogeneous environment. By choosing D and μ as variable parameters, we derive sufficient conditions for species spreading (resp. vanishing) in the strong heterogeneous environment; while in the weak heterogeneous environment, we obtain sharp criteria for the spreading and vanishing. Moreover, when spreading happens, we give an estimate for the asymptotic spreading speed of the free boundary. These theoretical results may have important implications for prediction and prevention of biological invasions.     

A multidimensional nonlinear sixth-order quantum diffusion equation

This paper is concerned with the analysis of a sixth-order nonlinear parabolic equation whose solutions describe the evolution of the particle density in a quantum fluid. We prove the global-in-time existence of weak nonnegative solutions in two and three space dimensions under periodic boundary conditions. Moreover, we show that these solutions are smooth and classical whenever the particle density is strictly positive, and we prove the long-time convergence to the spatial homogeneous equilibrium at a universal exponential rate. Our analysis strongly uses the Lyapunov property of the entropy functional.     

Effects of reactive gradient term in a multi-nonlinear parabolic problem

This paper deals with parabolic equation ut=Δu+r|∇u|−aepu subject to nonlinear boundary flux ∂u/∂η=equ, where r>1, p,q,a>0. There are two positive sources (the gradient reaction and the boundary flux) and a negative one (the absorption) in the model. It is well known that blow-up or not of solutions depends on which one dominating the model, the positive or negative sources, and furthermore on the absorption coefficient for the balance case of them. The aim of the paper is to study the influence of the reactive gradient term on the asymptotic behavior of solutions. We at first determine the critical blow-up exponent, and then obtain the blow-up rate, the blow-up set as well as the spatial blow-up profile for blow-up solutions in the one-dimensional case. It turns out that the gradient term makes a substantial contribution to the formation of blow-up if and only if r?2, where the critical r=2 is such a balance situation of the two positive sources for which the effects of the gradient reaction and the boundary source are at the same level. In addition, it is observed that the gradient term with r>2 significantly affects the blow-up rate also. In fact, the gained blow-up rates themselves contain the exponent r of the gradient term. Moreover, the blow-up rate may be discontinuous with respect to parameters included in the problem due to convection. As for the influence of gradient perturbations on spatial blow-up profiles, we only need some coefficients related to r for the profile estimates, while the exponent of the profile itself is r-independent. This seems natural for boundary blow-up solutions that the spatial profiles mainly rely on the exponent of the boundary singularity.     

Measure-valued solutions for a hierarchically size-structured population

We present a hierarchically size-structured population model with growth, mortality and reproduction rates which depend on a function of the population density (environment). We present an example to show that if the growth rate is not always a decreasing function of the environment (e.g., a growth which exhibits the Allee effect) the emergence of a singular solution which contains a Dirac delta mass component is possible, even if the vital rates of the individual and the initial data are smooth functions. Therefore, we study the existence of measure-valued solutions. Our approach is based on the vanishing viscosity method.     

On convergence of solutions to equilibria for quasilinear parabolic problems

We show convergence of solutions to equilibria for quasilinear parabolic evolution equations in situations where the set of equilibria is non-discrete, but forms a finite-dimensional C¹-manifold which is normally hyperbolic. Our results do not depend on the presence of an appropriate Lyapunov functional as in the ?ojasiewicz-Simon approach, but are of local nature.     

A diffusive predator-prey model with a protection zone

In this paper we study the effects of a protection zone Ω₀ for the prey on a diffusive predator-prey model with Holling type II response and no-flux boundary condition. We show the existence of a critical patch size described by the principal eigenvalue of the Laplacian operator over Ω₀ with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions. If the protection zone is over the critical patch size, i.e., if is less than the prey growth rate, then the dynamics of the model is fundamentally changed from the usual predator-prey dynamics; in such a case, the prey population persists regardless of the growth rate of its predator, and if the predator is strong, then the two populations stabilize at a unique coexistence state. If the protection zone is below the critical patch size, then the dynamics of the model is qualitatively similar to the case without protection zone, but the chances of survival of the prey species increase with the size of the protection zone, as generally expected. Our mathematical approach is based on bifurcation theory, topological degree theory, the comparison principles for elliptic and parabolic equations, and various elliptic estimates.     

Analysis of a nonlinear degenerating PDE system for phase transitions in thermoviscoelastic materials

We address the analysis of a nonlinear and degenerating PDE system, proposed by M. Frémond for modelling phase transitions in viscoelastic materials subject to thermal effects. The system features an internal energy balance equation, governing the evolution of the absolute temperature ?, an evolution equation for the phase change parameter χ, and a stress-strain relation for the displacement variable u. The main novelty of the model is that the equations for χ and u are coupled in such a way as to take into account the fact that the properties of the viscous and of the elastic parts influence the phase transition phenomenon in different ways. However, this brings about an elliptic degeneracy in the equation for u which needs to be carefully handled.In this paper, we first prove a local (in time) well-posedness result for (a suitable initial-boundary value problem for) the above mentioned PDE system, in the (spatially) three-dimensional setting. Secondly, we restrict to the one-dimensional case, in which, for the same initial-boundary value problem, we indeed obtain a global well-posedness theorem.     

Pullback permanence in a non-autonomous competitive Lotka-Volterra model

The goal of this work is to study in some detail the asymptotic behaviour of a non-autonomous Lotka-Volterra model, both in the conventional sense (as t→∞) and in the “pullback” sense (starting a fixed initial condition further and further back in time). The non-autonomous terms in our model are chosen such that one species will eventually die out, ruling out any conventional type of permanence. In contrast, we introduce the notion of “pullback permanence” and show that this property is enjoyed by our model. This is not just a mathematical artifice, but rather shows that if we come across an ecology that has been evolving for a very long time we still expect that both species are represented (and their numbers are bounded below), even if the final fate of one of them is less happy. The main tools in the paper are the theory of attractors for non-autonomous differential equations, the sub-supersolution method and the spectral theory for linear elliptic equations.     

Asymptotic equipartition and long time behavior of solutions of a thin-film equation

We investigate the large-time behavior of classical solutions to the thin-film type equation ut=−x(uuxxx). It was shown in previous work of Carrillo and Toscani that for non-negative initial data u₀ that belongs to H¹(R) and also has a finite mass and second moment, the strong solutions relax in the L¹(R) norm at an explicit rate to the unique self-similar source type solution with the same mass. The equation itself is gradient flow for an energy functional that controls the H¹(R) norm, and so it is natural to expect that one should also have convergence in this norm. Carrillo and Toscani raised this question, but their methods, using a different Lyapunov functions that arises in the theory of the porous medium equation, do not directly address this since their Lyapunov functional does not involve derivatives of u. Here we show that the solutions do indeed converge in the H¹(R) norm at an explicit, but slow, rate. The key to establishing this convergence is an asymptotic equipartition of the excess energy. Roughly speaking, the energy functional whose dissipation drives the evolution through gradient flow consists of two parts: one involving derivatives of u, and one that does not. We show that these must decay at related rates—due to the asymptotic equipartition—and then use the results of Carrillo and Toscani to control the rate for the part that does not depend on derivatives. From this, one gets a rate on the dissipation for all of the excess energy.     

Homogenization of fully overdamped Frenkel-Kontorova models

In this paper, we consider the fully overdamped Frenkel-Kontorova model. This is an infinite system of coupled first-order ODEs. Each ODE represents the microscopic evolution of one particle interacting with its neighbors and submitted to a fixed periodic potential. After a proper rescaling, a macroscopic model describing the evolution of densities of particles is obtained. We get this homogenization result for a general class of Frenkel-Kontorova models. The proof is based on the construction of suitable hull functions in the framework of viscosity solutions.     

Skew group algebras of piecewise hereditary algebras are piecewise hereditary

We show that the main results of Happel-Rickard-Schofield (1988) and Happel-Reiten-Smalø (1996) on piecewise hereditary algebras are coherent with the notion of group action on an algebra. Then, we take advantage of this compatibility and show that if G is a finite group acting on a piecewise hereditary algebra A over an algebraically closed field whose characteristic does not divide the order of G, then the resulting skew group algebra A[G] is also piecewise hereditary.