arXiv subjects

Volodymyr Rybalko

Publications and source records attributed to Volodymyr Rybalko.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Nonlinear multidomain model for nerve bundles with random structure

We present a derivation of a multidomain model for the electric potential in bundles of randomly distributed axons with different radii. The FitzHugh-Nagumo dynamics is assumed on the axons' membrane, and the conductivity depends nonlinearly on the electric field. Under ergodicity conditions, we study the asymptotic behavior of the potential in the bundle when the number of the axons in the bundle is sufficiently large and derive a macroscopic multidomain model describing the electrical activity of the bundle. Due to the randomness of geometry, the effective intracellular potential is not deterministic but is shown to be a stationary function with realizations that are constant on axons' cross sections. The technique combines the stochastic two-scale convergence and the method of monotone operators.

math.AP↗

arXiv2024

Homogenization of nonlocal spectral problems

We study asymptotic behavior of the bottom point of the spectrum of convolution type operators in environments with locally periodic microstructure. We show that its limit is described by an additive eigenvalue problem for Hamilton-Jacobi equation. In the periodic case we establish a more accurate two-term asymptotic formula.

math.AP↗

arXiv2023

Bifurcation of finger-like structures in traveling waves of epithelial tissues spreading

We consider a continuum active polar fluid model for the spreading of epithelial monolayers introduced by R. Alert, C. Blanch-Mercader, and J. Casademunt, 2019. The corresponding free boundary problem possesses flat front traveling wave solutions. Linear stability of these solutions under periodic perturbations is considered. It is shown that the solutions are stable for short-wave perturbations while exhibiting long-wave instability under certain conditions on the model parameters (if the traction force is sufficiently strong). Then, considering the prescribed period as the bifurcation parameter, we establish the emergence of nontrivial traveling wave solutions with a finger-like periodic structure (pattern). We also construct asymptotic expansions of the solutions in the vicinity of the bifurcation point and study their stability. We show that, depending on the value of the contractility coefficient, the bifurcation can be a subcritical or a supercritical pitchfork.

math.AP↗

arXiv2022

Derivation of a bidomain model for bundles of myelinated axons

The work concerns the multiscale modeling of a nerve fascicle of myelinated axons. We present a rigorous derivation of a macroscopic bidomain model describing the behavior of the electric potential in the fascicle based on the FitzHugh-Nagumo membrane dynamics. The approach is based on the two-scale convergence machinery combined with the method of monotone operators.

math.AP↗

arXiv2021

Emergence of traveling waves and their stability in a free boundary model of cell motility

We introduce a two-dimensional Hele-Shaw type free boundary model for motility of eukaryotic cells on substrates. The key ingredients of this model are the Darcy law for overdamped motion of the cytoskeleton gel (active gel) coupled with advection-diffusion equation for myosin density leading to elliptic-parabolic Keller-Segel system. This system is supplemented with Hele-Shaw type boundary conditions: Young-Laplace equation for pressure and continuity of velocities. We first show that radially symmetric stationary solutions become unstable and bifurcate to traveling wave solutions at a critical value of the total myosin mass. Next we perform linear stability analysis of these traveling wave solutions and identify the type of bifurcation (sub- or supercritical). Our study sheds light on the mathematics underlying instability/stability transitions in this model. Specifically, we show that these transitions occur via generalized eigenvectors of the linearized operator.

math.AP↗

arXiv2021

Stability of Contraction-Driven Cell Motion

We consider motility of keratocyte cells driven by myosin contraction and introduce a 2D free boundary model for such motion. This model generalizes a 1D model from [12] by combining a 2D Keller-Segel model and a Hele-Shaw type boundary condition with the Young-Laplace law resulting in a boundary curvature term which provides a regularizing effect. We show that this model has a family of traveling solutions with constant shape and velocity which bifurcates from a family of radially symmetric stationary states. Our goal is to establish observable steady motion of the cell with constant velocity. Mathematically, this amounts to establishing stability of the traveling solutions. Our key result is an explicit asymptotic formula for the stability-determining eigenvalue of the linearized problem. This formula greatly simplifies the task of numerically computing the sign of this eigenvalue and reveals the physical mechanisms of stability. The derivation of this formula is based on a special ansatz for the corresponding eigenvector which exhibits an interesting singular behavior such that it asymptotically (in the small-velocity limit) becomes parallel to another eigenvector. This reflects the non-self-adjoint nature of the linearized problem, a signature of living systems. Finally, our results describe the onset of motion via a transition from unstable radial stationary solutions to stable asymmetric traveling solutions.

physics.bio-ph↗

arXiv2019

Stability of steady states and bifurcation to traveling waves in a free boundary model of cell motility

We introduce a two-dimensional Keller-Segel type free boundary model for motility of eukaryotic cells on substrates. The key ingredients of this model are the Darcy law for overdamped motion of the cytoskeleton (active) gel and Hele-Shaw type boundary conditions (Young-Laplace equation for pressure and continuity of velocities). We first show that radially symmetric steady state solutions become unstable and bifurcate to traveling wave solutions. Next we establish linear and nonlinear stability of the steady states. We show that linear stability analysis is inconclusive for both steady states and traveling waves. Therefore we use invariance properties to prove nonlinear stability of steady states.

math.AP↗

arXiv2018

Derivation of cable equation by multiscale analysis for a model of myelinated axons

The paper concerns the multiscale modeling of a myelinated axon. Taking into account the microstructure with alternating myelinated parts and nodes Ranvier, we derive a nonlinear cable equation describing the potential propagation along the axon. We assume that the myelin is not a perfect insulator, and assign a low (asymptotically vanishing) conductivity in the myelin. Compared with the case when myelin is assumed to have zero conductivity, an additional potential arises in the limit equation. The coefficient in front of the effective potential contains information about the geometry of the myelinated parts.

math.AP↗

arXiv2017

Bifurcation of traveling waves in a Keller-Segel type free boundary model of cell motility

We study a two-dimensional free boundary problem that models motility of eukaryotic cells on substrates. This problem consists of an elliptic equation describing the flow of cytoskeleton gel coupled with a convection-diffusion PDE for the density of myosin motors. The two key properties of this problem are (i) presence of the cross diffusion as in the classical Keller-Segel problem in chemotaxis and (ii) nonlinear nonlocal free boundary condition that involves curvature of the boundary. We establish the bifurcation of the traveling waves from a family of radially symmetric steady states. The traveling waves describe persistent motion without external cues or stimuli which is a signature of cell motility. We also prove existence of non-radial steady states. Existence of both traveling waves and non-radial steady states is established via Leray-Schauder degree theory applied to a Liouville-type equation (which is obtained via a reduction of the original system) in a free boundary setting.

math.AP↗

arXiv2017

On approximation of Ginzburg-Landau minimizers by $\mathbb S^1$-valued maps in domains with vanishingly small holes

We consider a two-dimensional Ginzburg-Landau problem on an arbitrary domain with a finite number of vanishingly small circular holes. A special choice of scaling relation between the material and geometric parameters (Ginzburg-Landau parameter vs hole radius) is motivated by a recently dsicovered phenomenon of vortex phase separation in superconducting composites. We show that, for each hole, the degrees of minimizers of the Ginzburg-Landau problems in the classes of $\mathbb S^1$-valued and $\mathbb C$-valued maps, respectively, are the same. The presence of two parameters that are widely separated on a logarithmic scale constitutes the principal difficulty of the analysis that is based on energy decomposition techniques.

math.AP↗

arXiv2016

Phase field model of cell motility: sharp interface limit in sub-critical case

We consider a system of two PDEs arising in modeling of motility of eukariotic cells on substrates. This system consists of the Allen-Cahn equation for the scalar phase field function coupled with another vectorial parabolic equation for the orientation of the actin filament network. The two key properties of this system are (i) presence of gradients in the coupling terms (gradient coupling) and (ii) mass (volume) preservation constraints. We first prove that the sharp interface property of initial conditions is preserved in time. Next we formally derive the equation of the motion of the interface, which is the mean curvature motion perturbed by a nonlinear term that appears due to the properties (i)-(ii). This novel term leads to surprising features of the the motion of the interface. Because of these properties maximum principle and classical comparison techniques do not apply to this system. Furthermore, the system can not be written in a form of gradient flow, which is why recently developed Gamma-convergence techniques also can not be used for the justification of the formal derivation. Such justification is presented in a one-dimensional model problem and it leads to a stability result in a class of 'sharp interface' initial data.

math.AP↗

arXiv2016

Phase-Field Model of Cell Motility: Traveling Waves and Sharp Interface Limit

This letter is concerned with asymptotic analysis of a PDE model for motility of a eukaryotic cell on a substrate. This model was introduced in [1], where it was shown numerically that it successfully reproduces experimentally observed phenomena of cell-motility such as a discontinuous onset of motion and shape oscillations. The model consists of a parabolic PDE for a scalar phase-field function coupled with a vectorial parabolic PDE for the actin filament network (cytoskeleton). We formally derive the sharp interface limit (SIL), which describes the motion of the cell membrane and show that it is a volume preserving curvature driven motion with an additional nonlinear term due to adhesion to the substrate and protrusion by the cytoskeleton. In a 1D model problem we rigorously justify the SIL, and, using numerical simulations, observe some surprising features such as discontinuity of interface velocities and hysteresis. We show that nontrivial traveling wave solutions appear when the key physical parameter exceeds a certain critical value and the potential in the equation for phase field function possesses certain asymmetry.

math.AP↗

arXiv2016

Sharp interface limit in a phase field model of cell motility

We consider a system of two coupled parabolic PDEs introduced in [1] to model motility of eukaryotic cells. We study the asymptotic behavior of solutions in the limit of a small parameter related to the width of the interface in phase field function (sharp interface limit). We formally derive an equation of motion of the interface, which is mean curvature motion with an additional nonlinear term. In a 1D model parabolic problem we rigorously justify the sharp interface limit. To this end, a special form of asymptotic expansion is introduced to reduce analysis to a single nonlinear PDE. Further stability analysis reveals a qualitative change in the behavior of the system for small and large values of the coupling parameter. Using numerical simulations we also show discontinuities of the interface velocity and hysteresis. Also, in the 1D case we establish nontrivial traveling waves when the coupling parameter is large enough.

math.AP↗

arXiv2015

On an evolution equation in a cell motility model

This paper deals with the evolution equation of a curve obtained as the sharp interface limit of a non-linear system of two reaction-diffusion PDEs. This system was introduced as a phase-field model of (crawling) motion of eukaryotic cells on a substrate. The key issue is the evolution of the cell membrane (interface curve) which involves shape change and net motion. This issue can be addressed both qualitatively and quantitatively by studying the evolution equation of the sharp interface limit for this system. However, this equation is non-linear and non-local and existence of solutions presents a significant analytical challenge. We establish existence of solutions for a wide class of initial data in the so-called subcritical regime. Existence is proved in a two step procedure. First, for smooth ($H^2$) initial data we use a regularization technique. Second, we consider non-smooth initial data that are more relevant from the application point of view. Here, uniform estimates on the time when solution exists rely on a maximum principle type argument.

math.AP↗

arXiv2012

On the first eigenpair of singularly perturbed operators with oscillating coefficients

The paper deals with a Dirichlet spectral problem for a singularly perturbed second order elliptic operator with rapidly oscillating locally periodic coefficients. We study the limit behaviour of the first eigenpair (ground state) of this problem. The main tool in deriving the limit (effective) problem is the viscosity solutions technique for Hamilton-Jacobi equations. The effective problem need not have a unique solution. We study the non-uniqueness issue in a particular case of zero potential and construct the higher order term of the ground state asymptotics.

math.AP↗

arXiv2010

Homogenization of boundary value problems for monotone operators in perforated domains with rapidly oscillating boundary conditions of Fourier type

The paper deals with homogenization problem for nonlinear elliptic and parabolic equations in a periodically perforated domain, a nonlinear Fourier boundary conditions being imposed on the perforation border. Under the assumptions that the studied differential equation satisfies monotonicity and 2-growth conditions and that the coefficient of the boundary operator is centered at each level set of unknown function, we show that the problem under consideration admits homogenization and derive the effective model.

math.AP↗

arXiv2006

Capacity of a multiply-connected domain and nonexistence of Ginzburg-Landau minimizers with prescribed degrees on the boundary

Suppose that $ω\subsetΩ\subset R^2$. In the annular domain $A=Ω\setminus\barω$ we consider the class $J$ of complex valued maps having degree 1 on $\partial Ω$ and on $\partialω$. It was conjectured by Berlyand and Mironescu ('04), that he existence of minimizers of the Ginzburg-Landau energy $E_κ$ in $J$ is completely determined by the value of the $H^1$-capacity $cap(A)$ of the domain and the value of the Ginzburg-Landau parameter $κ$. The existence of minimizers of $E_κ$ for all $κ$ when $cap(A)\geqπ$ (domain $A$ is ``thin'') and for small $κ$ when $cap(A)<π$ (domain $A$ is ``thick'') was established by Berlyand and Mironescu ('04). Here we provide the answer for the remaining case of large $κ$ when $cap(A)<π$. We prove that, when $cap(A)<π$, there exists a finite threshold value $κ_1$ of the Ginzburg-Landau parameter $κ$ such that the minimum of the Ginzburg-Landau energy $E_κ$ is not attained in $J$ when $κ>κ_1$ while it is attained when $κ<κ_1$.

math.AP↗