7 September 1998

PHYSICS

LETTERS

ELSEVIER

Physics Letters A 246 ( 1998 f

11%I 16

A simple method to construct the traveling wave solutions to nonlinear evolution equations
Chunping
Mathematics

Liu a, Ruguang Zhou b-, Mingru Zhou b

Division, Institute of TechnaloKy Ykngzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China h Department of Mathematics. Xuzhou Normal University Xuzhou 221009. Chinu Received 27 May 1998; accepted for publication Communicated by C.R. Doering 23 June 1998

Abstract

A simple and direct method is described to construct the traveling wave solutions to nonlinear evolution equations. Crucial to the method is the assumption that the solutions satisfy an ordinary differential equation that can be easily integrated. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method by applications to many equations with physical interest as particular examples. @ 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
PACS: 03.40.Kf; 02.30.3 Rewords: Traveling wave solution: Nonlinear evolution equation; Reaction-diffusion equation

Traveling wave solutions play an important role in nonlinear science. These solutions may well describe various phenomena in nature, such as vibrations, solitons and propagation with a finite speed, and thus they may give more insight into the physical aspects of problems and may be easily used in further applications. In mathematics, for a nonlinear evolution equation, usually first the traveling wave solutions are considered. A number of techniques or methods to construct the traveling wave solutions have been developed [ I-41. In this Letter, we shall suggest an approach to constructing traveling wave solutions to nonlinear evolution equations. Through this method, we only need to solve a system of algebraic equations and an ordinary differential equation. Therefore, the approach is very simple. However, it is efficient and applicable

to a variety of nonlinear evolution equations. Some well-known equations, such as the generalized Fisher equation or the Chaffee-Infante [ 1,2,5,6], the generalized Huxley equation [ 61, the Fitzhugh-Nagumo equation [ 7,8], the Harry-Dym equation [ 9- 111, and the Bejamin-Bona-Mahony (BBM) equation [ 121, are taken as examples. The general idea of our method is as follows. As usual, to obtain a nonlinear evolution equation, for example, F(u. u,, Ur. u,,, r&U>.. .) =o, we make the assumption u = U(C). Z$= X + cr. (2) (1)

Consequently, Eq. ( 1) may be reduced to an ordinary differential equation G(U,U,U ,...) =o. (3)

Corresponding

author, E-mail: rgzhou@public.xz.js.cn.

03759601/98/$ - see front matter @ 1998 Published PII SO375-9601(98)00497-6

by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

114

C. Liu et d/Physics

Letters A 246 (1998) 113-116

For some nonlinear evolution equations, such as the Korteweg-de Vries equation, the Burgers equation, the corresponding equation (3) actually can be directly integrated; and thus the traveling wave solutions are obtained. However, for quite a few nonlinear evolution equations, the corresponding equations (3) can not be directly integrated. In this case we can not obtain the traveling wave solutions to these equations. Our method is based on the observation that Eq. (3) consists of the polynomial of U, u, u, etc. Therefore, it seems reasonable to make the assumption that -%L([) = Au + BuP,

Suppose u = u(5), 5 = x + ct, then Eq. (5) becomes CU - Du + A(u2 + au+ + bu) = 0. (9)

Here and henceforth a prime stands for d/d,$. It is not difficult to find that we can not integrate Eq. (9) directly. Now we use our assumption that u = ALP + BuP. Thus, u = CXA~U~~- (cy + /3) ABu*+p- + pB2u2p- . +

(10)

d5

Qf< P,

(4)

where A, B, a, p are some undetermined constants. Through substituting Eq. (4) into Eq. (3), we can determine these constants. On the other hand, it is easy to see that Eq. (4) can be easily integrated. Therefore, the traveling wave solutions are obtained. The above method may be applicable to a large number of nonlinear evolution equations with various backgrounds. In what follows, we shall apply this to a kind of reaction-diffusion system, the Harry-Dym equation, and the BBM equation. Example 1. First let us introduce the equation U, - Du,, D>O, + A( u2+ + az?+l + bu) = 0, 6>0, ASO, (5)

(11)
Inserting Ly=l, into Eq. (9), we find p=1+s, (12)

thus Eq. (9) is reduced to

cAu + cBu+ - D[A2u + AB(2 + S)u+ + (I + cY)B~u+~]+ AU+ + haz.8 + Abu = 0,

Furthermore, setting the coefficients to zero leads to

(13)
of u, u+~, u+~~

where D, 6, a, This equation can be reduced example, when the generalized U, - Du,,=pu(l

a, b are some constants.

is a reaction-diffusion equation and to many well-known equations. For A = p, a = q - 1, b = -4, Eq. (5) is Fisher equation [ 1,2]

CA - DA2 + Ab = 0, cB - DAB(2 + S) + Aa = 0, -DB2( 1 + 6) + A = 0.

That is,

(14) (15) (16)

-us)(q+us);

(6)

B2 =

A
D(1 +S>

A=

ai&KZB
2

when D = 1, A = 1, a = 1 - k, b = -k, Eq. (5) is the generalized Huxley equation [ 61

11, uxx =

c = DA - Ah/A.
Integrating solution Eq. (10) with (12)

(17)
yields a continuous

u(uS+I)(kd);

(7)

and when D = i, A = 1, 6 = 1, a = -2y, b = y2 - 1, c,A= y - U, Eq. (5) is the Fitzhugh-Nagumo equation [ 81 1 - $2) = 0, (8)

&_A
B 1 +

1
e-A(C+&b,

AB<

(18)

4, - &LX + (Y - 4)( -1 <y<o.

where 50 is an integration constant. Next we exhibit some explicit and continuous tions to several reduced equations.

solu-

C. Liu et al./Physics Lerters A 246 (1998) 113-116

I IS

(I) Generalized Fisher equation. Since a = q - 1, h=-q,wehaveA/B=q,orA/B=-l.WhenA= qB (q < 0) we obtain the solutions ,ia = 1 + exp[WQ@GT(5 9 + 60) I (19) wherec= d-(1 When A = -B 14s= +S+q). we obtain the following 1 (20) 1 +exp[f~j/M(S+50)1 wherec=,/m[l+q(l+S)]. (11) Generalized Huxley equation. Since a = 1 - k, b = -k, we have A/B = 1, or A/B = -k. When A = B, we can not obtain any continuous solutions to the generalized Huxley equation. While as A = -kB, we obtain the solution u6 = 1 + exp[-6k(5+ k &)/~I (21)

Example 2. Second, let us apply our method to the Harry-Dym equation [9-l 1]
1

Pt=, i

(23)

solutions,

It is well known that the Harry-Dym equation has a cusp-soliton, which can not be written in explicit form. Next we give an explicit traveling wave solution. First we set /J=1 ,--y equation is reduced to (25) (24)

then the Harry-Dym 2L4,+ &,, Substituting u=u(l$), 6=x-ct. = 0.

(26)

into Eq. (25)) we have -2cu + U3U = 0. (27)

wherec=(l+k+6)/(-). (III) The Fitzhugh-Nagumo equation. Since a = -2y,b=y-l,wehaveA/B=-y&l.Noting-1 < y < 0, we can not obtain any continuous solution to the Fitzhugh-Nagumo equation when A = ( -y+ 1) B. While when A = (-y - 1) B, we obtain the following solutions, 1.l= 1 fexp[+Cy+ Yfl l)CS+S0)1 (22)

Again we set u = Au + BuP, after a direct calculation, (y=p=-;. Thus we set U = AU-/~. Substituting A2 = 2c. Integrating Eq. (30), we have (32) to the Harry-Dym (30) into Eq. (27) yields (31) (30) we find that (29) (28)

wherec=-i(y-3). Remarks. First, many results for reaction-diffusion equations, in particular the qualitative behavior of solutions to scalar reaction-diffusion equations in one spatial dimension, have been summarized in Ref. [ 131. Second, for the well-known equations above, some traveling solutions have obtained using various methods. For example, Ablowitz and Zeppetella using the Painlevt analysis obtained the solution to the Fisher equation [ 1 I. Abdelkader gave a solution to a generalized Fisher equation via a complicated parameter equation [ 2 1. In Ref. [ 31, Wang obtained another explicit traveling wave solution to the Fisher equation with the help of a transformation. Compared with their methods, our method is more direct and the solutions we obtain are richer.

U= [;A(~;+&I)]*~. Thus a traveling equation is p(x, t) = +[6c(x wave solution

4 -l/3 . - ct + 50) ] And its physical

(33) sig-

This solution is not continuous. nificance is not clear.

116

C. Liu et al./Ph~ysics Letters A 246 (1998) 113-116

Example 3. Finally, let us apply our method to the Bejamin-Bona-Mahony equation Ut + UU, - PU,,t = 0. In the same way we assume u=u(l), 4=x-ct. (35) (34)

Then Eq. (34) reduces to -cu + uu + c/W Integration -cu = 0, (36)

of Eq. (36) yields (37)

+ +u* + c/3u = K,

Remark. In fact, if we integrate Eq. (37) directly and set all integration constants to zero, the solution is just (42) or (43) with K = 0. Finally, let us end with some further comments. First we should also mention that our method can be applied not only to 1 + 1 dimensional nonlinear evolution equations but also to higher dimensional ones. Second, we have obtained many interesting solutions to some equations with various physical backgrounds such as the KdV-Burgers equation describing turbulence. Some of those solutions have not appeared in the literature, and we shall qualitatively analysis them. The result will appear in a forthcoming paper. R.G.Z. thanks the Chinese National Basic Research Project Nonlinear Science, the Doctoral Programme Foundation of Institution of High Education, China and NSJSEC for support. M.R.Z. acknowledges support from a grant of NSFJSSC.

where K is an integration constant. Eq. (37) can be integrated directly in terms of elliptic function. In particular, letting all integration constants be zero, we can obtain the soliton equation to the BBM equation. However, using our method, we can directly get its explicit solution. Indeed, let u(5) = D + W5). (38)

References III M.J. Ablowitz, A. Zeppefella, Bull. Math. Biol. 41 (1979)

From Eq. (37)) we get -c(D + Fu) + ;(D assuming + Bu3i2; (40) the coefficients + Fu)* + cpFvtf = K. (39)

835.

I21 M.A. Abdelkader, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 85 ( 1982) 287.

[31 X.Y. Wang. Sci. Bull. 36 (1991) 67.
151 P.

Furthermore, u = ,&I2

76 [in Chinese].

L41 M.L. Wang, Y.B. Zhou, Z.B. Li, Phys. Lett. A 216 (1996)

inserting into Eq (37) and evaluating of u, u and u2, we obtain D=cf2dG,

[-5l 171

B2 = -F/3&. If p > 0, we choose F = -1 solution to the BBM equation u=cV%G sech2 and we obtain

(41) the

L81 191 101

+ 3 dz-

lz@Tz
2fi

(6+5o).

(42)

111 121 131

Similarly, if p < 0, we choose F = 1 and we obtain the solution to the BBM equation

Constantin, C. Foias, B. Nicolaenko, R. Temam. Integral Manifolds and Inertial Manifolds for Dissipative Partial Differential Equations, Applications in Mathematical Sciences, Vol. 70 (Springer, New York, 1989). E.H. Fan, H.Q. Zhang. Acta Phys. Sin. (in Chinese) 47 ( 1998) 353. Z. Chen, B.Y. Chuo, IMA J. Appl. Math. 48 (1992) 107. G. Eilenberger. Solitons-MathematicaJ Methods for Physicist (Springer, New York, 1981) pp. 4-35. M.D. Kruskal, Lecture Notes in Physics, Vol. 38 (Springer. Berlin, 1975) p. 310. Y.H. Ichikawa, K. Kommo, M. Wadati, in: Long Time Prediction in Dynamicacs, eds. C.W. Horton Jr., L.E. Reichl. A.G. Szebehely (Wiley, New York, 1983) p. 345. D. Levi, 0. Ragnisco, A. Sym. Phys. Lett. A 100 ( 1984) 7. T.B. Benjamin. J.L. Bona, J.J. Mahony, Philos. Trans. Roy. Sot. 272 (1972) 47. P.C. Fife, Mathematical aspects of reaction and diffusion systems, Lecture Notes in Biomathematics, Vol. 28
(Springer. Berlin. 1980).

- 3dGsech2

==(e+t 2a

0 ).

(43)