Existence and Spatial Decay of Forced Waves for the Fisher-KPP Equation with a Degenerate Shifting Environment

Abstract

This paper studies forced waves for the heterogeneous Fisher-KPP equation $u_t = u_{xx} + u(a(x-ct)-u)$, where $c>0$ and $a(z)>0$ satisfies $a(-\infty)=\alpha>0=a(+\infty)$, $a'(z)\le0$ ($z\gg1$). Using ODE asymptotic analysis, we classify all local positive solutions near $z=+\infty$. Exponential decay solutions always exist; non-exponential decay solutions exist if and only if $\exp\big(\int^z_{z_0}\frac{-c+\sqrt{c^2-4a(s)}}{2}{\rm d}s\big)\in L^1([z_0,+\infty))$. We obtain a complete existence, multiplicity and spatial decay for forced waves. For each $c\in(0,2\sqrt\alpha)$, there exists a unique exponentially decaying forced wave. This wave is either the unique forced wave or the minimal forced wave, depending on the integrability condition. In the case $\exp\big(\int^z_{z_0}\frac{-c+\sqrt{c^2-4a(s)}}{2}{\rm d}s\big)\in L^1([z_0,+\infty))$, for any $c>0$ there exist infinitely many non-exponentially decaying forced waves and the maximal wave is not in $L^1([z_0,+\infty))$. These results provide complete answers to open problems concerning the existence, uniqueness, multiplicity and spatial decay rates of forced waves in Fisher-KPP models with degenerate moving environments.