Counter-propagating wave patterns in a swarm model with memory.

Abstract

Hyperbolic transport-reaction equations are abundant in the description of movement of motile organisms. Here, we focus on a system of four coupled transport-reaction equations that arises from an age-structuring of a species of turning individuals. By modeling how the behavior depends on the time since the last reversal, we introduce a memory effect. The highlight consists of the explicit construction and characterization of counter-propagating traveling waves, patterns which have been observed in bacterial colonies. Stability analysis reveals conditions for the wave formation as well as pulsating-in-time spatially constant solutions.