Hybrid asymptotic-numerical analysis of pattern formation problems

• Main Author: Moyles, Iain
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2015
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/53715

In this thesis we present an analysis of the Gierer-Meinhardt model with saturation (GMS) on various curve geometries in ℝ². We derive a boundary fitted coordinate framework which translates an asymptotic two-component differential equation into a single component reaction diffusion equation with singular interface conditions. We create a numerical method that generalizes the solution of such a system to arbitrary two-dimensional curves and show how it extends to other models with singularity properties that are related to the Laplace operator. This numerical method is based on integrating logarithmic singularities which we handle by the method of product integration where logarithmic singularities are handled analytically with numerically interpolated densities. In parallel with the generalized numerical method, we present some analytical solutions to the GMS model on a circular and slightly perturbed circular curve geometry. We see that for the regular circle, saturation leads to a hysteresis effect for two dynamically stable branches of equilibrium radii. For the near circle we show that there are two distinct perturbations, one resulting from the introduction of a angular dependent radius, and one caused by Fourier mode interactions which causes a vertical shift to the solution. We perform a linear stability analysis to the true circle solution and show that there are two classes of eigenvalues leading to breakup or zigzag instabilities. For the breakup instabilities we show that the saturation parameter can completely stabilize perturbations that we show are always unstable without saturation and for the zigzag instabilities we show that the eigenvalues are given by the near circle curve normal velocity. The breakup analysis is based on the reduction of an implicit non-local eigenvalue problem (NLEP) to a root finding problem. We derive conditions for which this eigenvalue problem can be made explicit and use it to analyze a stripe and ring geometry. This formulation allows us to classify certain technical properties of NLEPs such as instability bands and a Hopf bifurcation condition analytically. === Science, Faculty of === Mathematics, Department of === Graduate