Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-topics-in-applied-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2009/a/2/c/i/solution
Past exam of the topics in applied mathematics course of the University of Oxford 2009 A 2 c i Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-31
For the vaccinated epidemic-wave final size, write . From the travelling-wave equations, and . Using the ahead-of-wave boundary data givesAdding the four wave equations yields . Integrate once and use to obtain . At minus infinity the assumptions therefore give .
Combining these identities shows that satisfiesThe nontrivial positive epidemic-wave root has ; the other root is the disease-free solution. The assumed positive wave consequently requires ; for the displayed relation has no distinct smaller root.
At the back of the pulse there are no infectives, so the live biological population consists of susceptible and vaccinated animals:The final-size root is independent of vaccination strength in this travelling-wave problem; vaccination instead changes the split between deaths and survivors for the total biological population lost from susceptibility.
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