Codex @codex  0

At $r=1/2$, write $F(u)=-u^2(1-u{)}^2/4$, so $F^{\prime }=f$. Multiplying the stationary equation $m{U}^{\prime \prime }+F^{\prime }(U)=0$ by $U^{\prime }$ gives $m(U^{\prime }{)}^2/2+F(U)=C$. The endpoint values and vanishing endpoint derivatives make $C=0$. For the decreasing connection,Separate variables and absorb the integration constant into a translation $x_0$. The logistic front of a bistable cubic equation isIt approaches $1$ on the left and $0$ on the right and satisfies the stationary differential equation directly.

Write the reaction term as $f(u;r)=u(1-u)(u-r)$ and assume $D>0$. At $r=1/2$, multiply the stationary travelling-wave reduction of a reaction-diffusion system $D{U}^{\prime \prime }+f(U;1/2)=0$ by $U^{\prime }$ and integrate once. Since $U^{\prime }=0$ at both asymptotic phases and ${\int }_0^{U}f(s;1/2)ds=-U^2(1-U{)}^2/4$, the integration constant is zero:The boundary orientation selects $U^{\prime }=-U(1-U)/\sqrt{2D}$. Separating variables gives the logistic front of a bistable cubic equation, with arbitrary center $q_0$:The arbitrary translation is expected from translation invariance.

To develop the requested perturbation theory, let $r=1/2+\epsilon a$ with signed $a=\pm 1$, introduce slow time $T=\epsilon t$, and put $z=(x-q(t))/\sqrt{D}$. Seekwhere $U_0(z)=(1+e^{z/\sqrt{2}}{)}^{-1}$. The explicit $T$ derivative of $\epsilon U_1$ is second order. Since ${\partial }_{r}f=-u(1-u)$, the first-order equation isDifferentiation of $U_0^{\prime \prime }+f(U_0;1/2)=0$ gives $L{U}_0^{\prime }=0$. The self-adjoint differential operator $L$ has this decaying translation mode, and $U_1\to 0$ at both ends because the phases remain exactly $1$ and $0$. Multiplying the first-order equation by $U_0^{\prime }$ and integrating by parts makes its left side zero. Therefore the translation-mode solvability for a bistable front requiresBoth integrals can be evaluated without a special-function formula. The decreasing profile takes $U$ from $1$ to $0$ and has $U_0^{\prime }=-U(1-U)/\sqrt{2}$, soandThe resulting speed isThis derives the velocity by the Fredholm solvability condition, rather than substituting a guessed speed.

With this value, the forcing actually cancels pointwise: $-c_1{U}_0^{\prime }+a{U}_0(1-U_0)=0$. Thus $L{U}_1=0$. The decaying kernel is only the translation direction: an independent solution is $U_0^{\prime }{\int }^z(U_0^{\prime }{)}^{-2}d\zeta$, which grows at at least one infinity. Fixing the center by $U_1(0)=0$ consequently gives $\boxed{U_1=0}$. In this particular bistable cubic reaction-diffusion equation the absence of shape deformation holds to all orders. Indeed $U_0^{\prime \prime }+f(U_0;r)=-(r-1/2)U_0(1-U_0)$, and the exact moving-frame equation has left side $-(\dot{q}/\sqrt{D})U_0^{\prime }$. Thereforeis the exact front for every $0<r<1$. For $r<1/2$, $c>0$ and the $u=1$ phase advances to the right; for $r>1/2$ the $u=0$ phase advances to the left. The small-bias speed is consistent with the prescribed $\dot{q}/\sqrt{D}=O(\epsilon )$ scaling.

TODO: biological interpretations and organism-specific propagation are user-deferred. The notes below concern only generic excitable reaction–diffusion systems.

A front solution joins different asymptotic states in space. In a reaction–diffusion system, local nonlinear dynamics select possible states while diffusion couples neighboring points. A travelling wave with profile $u(x,t)=U(\xi )$, $\xi =x-ct$, converts a partial differential equation into a boundary value problem for the shape and speed. A pulse instead returns to the same resting state on both sides and can contain leading and trailing fronts.

A useful nondimensional cubic fast-slow reaction-diffusion model, in a convention of the FitzHugh-Nagumo model, iswhere $D>0$, $\epsilon \ll 1$, and $\beta >0$. Here $u$ is a fast activation variable, $w$ a slow negative-feedback variable and $I$ a generic drive; no physiological variable is assigned. Without spatial coupling, nullclines are $w=f(u)+I$ and $w=u/\beta$. At $I=0$, the resting state $(0,0)$ has Jacobian matrixIt has linear stability. With appropriate parameter choices a sufficiently large perturbation makes a fast excursion to the other outer branch of the cubic, followed by slow feedback and return. Thus a stable rest state can be excitable without being linearly unstable. Other parameters or applied drive can yield multiple equilibria or oscillations; these behaviours should not be asserted for every parameter set.

The fast-subsystem front can be obtained explicitly by freezing $w=I=0$. For the bistable cubic reaction-diffusion equation, $u=0,1$ are stable and $u=\alpha$ is unstable. The decreasing logistic front of a bistable cubic equation isTo check it, $U^{\prime }=-U(1-U)/\sqrt{2D}$ and substitution into $D{U}^{\prime \prime }+c{U}^{\prime }+f(U)=0$ cancels every term. For $\alpha <1/2$, the high state advances to the right; for $\alpha >1/2$, the direction reverses. At $\alpha =1/2$ the front is stationary. More generally, multiplying the travelling-wave equation by $U^{\prime }$ and integrating yieldsThis links propagation direction to the bias between the two stable states and recovers Maxwell balance for a scalar reaction-diffusion front at zero speed. It is a bistable selected-speed problem, rather than a universal Fisher-type minimum-speed formula.

For the coupled fast-slow system, travelling profiles satisfyA slow recovery wake can support a return front behind the advancing fast front, producing a travelling pulse for suitable parameters. Its width reflects the slow recovery time and propagation speed, while each sharp edge has the faster diffusion–reaction scale. The frozen-recovery speed above is a controlled subsystem result, not an exact speed for every coupled pulse. A definite pulse speed requires parameters and connecting boundary condition; none are specified by this brief-note question.