For linear stability analysis of a general stable two-species reaction–diffusion system, take Fourier modes proportional to . Their matrix is . Put , , and . Then
The full system is stable precisely when and for every allowed mode. If the homogeneous state is stable, the trace already decreases with ; only the determinant can change sign. If , its minimum for is at zero. If , it is at . Thus the two-species Turing criterion for instability on a continuum of wavenumbers is
Strict stability has together with the homogeneous conditions. Equality at positive marks a stationary neutral mode. At that first onset,
Beyond threshold, the growing band lies between the positive roots , as long as the homogeneous trace stays negative.
For the Brusselator, . Write . The stationary determinant threshold gives the Turing threshold of the Brusselator in dimensional diffusivities:
For this to be a genuine diffusion-driven loss of stability, it must occur before the homogeneous Hopf bifurcation threshold. The Brusselator Turing-before-Hopf diffusivity condition is
Indeed is equivalent to . With this strict inequality, contains a spatially unstable but homogeneously stable interval. If the ratio condition fails, the first linear instability as increases is homogeneous at , rather than a Turing instability; equality gives simultaneous neutral homogeneous and finite-wavenumber modes. Equal diffusivities cannot produce a Turing instability.
These continuum formulas assume the onset wavenumber is available. On a finite domain with a specified discrete mode set, the discrete-mode Turing threshold for the Brusselator is
provided this minimum is below . The question supplies no boundary geometry, so the continuous-mode onset above is the usual answer; this last expression states how a finite-size restriction changes it.
At the first loss of stability, the minimum of just touches zero. The threshold condition from part (b) is
so
The minimizing squared wavenumber is
At threshold, , and therefore
Thus the Turing threshold of the Brusselator selects