Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2005 / ii / Paper 2 / 13E / d

Assume $Q>1$, so $T(k)<0$ for every wavenumber. A Turing instability therefore occurs exactly when $D(k)<0$ for some $k$. Put $z=k^2\ge 0$. The upward quadratic $1+(1-P)z+P{z}^2$ has a negative minimum on this half-line precisely whenCombining these givesThe unstable band is $z_{-}<k^2<z_{+}$, whereThe degradation-limited diffusion distances are proportional to ${\ell }_u=\sqrt{D_u/{\beta }_u}$ and ${\ell }_v=\sqrt{D_v/{\beta }_v}$. Thus $P=({\ell }_v/{\ell }_u{)}^2$ and the criterion says the inhibitor must travel more than $(1+\sqrt{2})$ times as far as the activator before degradation. Short-range activation and longer-range inhibition permit a local peak to reinforce itself. On a finite domain the allowed wavenumbers must also intersect the unstable band; the displayed condition assumes continuously available modes.