Past exam of the further mathematical biology course of the University of Oxford / 2023 / 2 / b

There is a consistency issue in the printed model. If $w\equiv w_0$ is imposed while retaining its evolution equation, then $0=\beta v-\gamma w_0$ forces $v\equiv \gamma w_0/\beta$. Thus the full two-equation system has no nonconstant travelling wave with exactly constant $w$. Its constant solution exists only when $I=w_0-f(\gamma w_0/\beta )$. The intended wave calculation must treat the recovery variable as externally frozen, leaving the scalar reaction-diffusion equationFor this frozen-recovery reduction, letThe cubic polynomial $f$ has a local minimum at $a_{-}$ and a local maximum at $a_{+}$. Hence the conditiongives three distinct real roots $r_1<r_2<r_3$ of $g$, withThe outer roots are stable for the scalar spatially uniform dynamics and the middle root is unstable. Seek a travelling wave $v(x,t)=V(z)$, where $z=x-ct$. The travelling-wave reduction of a reaction-diffusion system givesLet $\delta =r_3-r_1$ and chooseIt has $V(-\infty )=r_3$, $V(+\infty )=r_1$ andSubstitution leavesConsequently the frozen-recovery cubic front isReflection $x\mapsto -x$ reverses the front and its speed. A nonzero speed requires $r_2\ne (r_1+r_3)/2$; equality gives a stationary front and is the Maxwell balance for a scalar reaction-diffusion front. Since the roots sum to $1+\alpha$, this stationary value is $I=w_0-f((1+\alpha )/3)$. For the simple admissible choice $I=w_0$, the roots are $0,\alpha ,1$ andThis particular front moves when $\alpha \ne 1/2$. At $\alpha =1/2$, other currents inside the displayed open interval give moving fronts.