For a small Fourier mode , , the inhibitor equation gives . The linearization of the cubic reaction at zero is . Thus the fast-inhibitor cubic activator growth rate is
It is an even function of , starts at , and tends to as . In terms of , its derivative is . If , the maxima occur at , with
If , the maximum is at and all modes decay. For , the zero state is unstable when , and the stability boundary is
where this curve lies in the allowed parameter region.
Figure 1.
Growth-rate curves and the zero-state stability boundary of the fast-inhibitor model
. Details.
Putting , and negates both original equations and restores precisely the same form, because . Therefore the state has the corresponding boundary .