Past exam of the topics in applied mathematics course of the University of Oxford / 2011 / A / 3 / c

The nonzero homogeneous equilibrium is $\boxed{n_{\ast }=1,a_{\ast }=\alpha /\beta }$. Without transport its Jacobian matrix iswith negative eigenvalues $-1,-\beta$.

Zero chemical flux gives $a_x=0$ at the endpoints; zero bacterial flux then gives $n_x=0$. Linear perturbations therefore have Neumann boundary conditions and modes $\cos (k_{m}x)$, $k_m=m\pi$. For each mode, the amplitude matrix isIts trace is always negative. Its determinant isA mode grows exactly when $\Delta (k_m)<0$. In particular, any nonzero mode is destabilized by sufficiently large $\chi$. For continuously variable $k$, a nonempty unstable band exists precisely whenWriting $C=\alpha \chi -D_a-\beta D_n$, its squared-wavenumber endpoints are $[C\pm \sqrt{C^2-4\beta D_n{D}_a}]/(2D_n{D}_a)$. On the finite interval, at least one allowed $k_m^2$ must lie inside this band. The uniform $m=0$ mode stays stable. This is the chemotactic pattern-instability criterion.