Analytical examples of diffusive waves generated by a traveling wave

Abstract

We construct analytical solutions for a system composed of a reaction–diffusion equation coupled with a purely diffusive equation. The question is to know if the traveling wave solutions of the reaction–diffusion equation can generate a traveling wave for the diffusion equation. Our motivation comes from the calcic wave, generated after fertilization within the egg cell endoplasmic reticulum, and propagating within the egg cell. We consider both the monostable (Fisher–KPP type) and bistable cases. We use a piecewise linear reaction term so as to build explicit solutions, which leads us to compute exponential tails whose exponents are roots of second-, third-, or fourth-order polynomials. These raise conditions on the coefficients for existence of a traveling wave of the diffusion equation. The question of positivity and monotonicity is only partially answered.

Keywords:

• Traveling wave
• reaction diffusion
• parabolic systems
• mathematical biology

AMS Subject Classifications:

• 35C07
• 35K57
• 35Q92

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Patrick Cormier for several inspiring discussions on calcic waves which motivated the present study. They also wish to thank the referees for their comments.

Notes

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

French Cancer League Research Grant (La Ligue contre le Cancer, comités Finistère, Côtes d’Armor, Deux-Sèvres et Morbihan); Brittany Regional Council Research Grant (Région Bretagne, project MoDyst) and labex CALSIMLAB for Ph.D. Fellowship (to H.M.).