Effect of geometry on the positioning of a single spot in reaction-diffusion systems

Abstract

We consider the formation of a single spot (localized solution) in reaction-diffusion (RD) equation on a curved manifold. Specifically, we study the direction (alignment) of the normal to interface between maxima and minima of concentration in the steady-state on a prolate and on an oblate ellipsoid. We further analyse the effect of shape asymmetry on l = 1 eigenmode of the sphere by assuming a small deformation from the spherical geometry. Our analysis shows that the eigenfunction corresponding to highest eigenvalue align along the symmetry axis for a prolate ellipsoid, and perpendicular to the symmetry axis for an oblate ellipsoid. Finally, we compare the direction of variation of the most unstable mode (eigenfunction with highest growth rate) in the system obtained by assuming a small deformation from the sphere and the alignment of interface normal obtain from the numerical simulations.