On the Multiplicity of Solutions Of a Differential Equation Arising in Chemical Reactor Theory

Consider the boundary value problem where β ? 0, τ ? 0. We are concerned with a mathematically rigorous numerical study of the number of solutions in any bounded portion of the positive quadrant (τ ? 0, β ? 0) of the τ, β plane. These correct computational results may then be matched with asymptotic (β→∞, τ ? 0) results developed earlier. These numerical results are based on the development of a posteriori error estimates for the numerical solution of an associated initial-value problem and a priori bounds on .