To what extent does the consideration of positive total flux influence the dynamics of Keller-Segel-type models?

TL;DR

This paper investigates how positive total flux boundary conditions affect the dynamics of Keller-Segel models, offering new insights into chemotactic behavior beyond the traditional zero-flux assumption.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach by analyzing Keller-Segel models with positive total flux using Robin boundary conditions, expanding understanding of chemotactic interactions.

Findings

Boundary conditions significantly influence chemotactic dynamics

Positive flux models reveal new system properties

Boundary effects alter cell and chemical distribution interactions

Abstract

Since the introduction of the Keller-Segel model in 1970 to describe chemotaxis (the interactions between cell distributions u and chemical distributions v), there has been a significant proliferation of research articles exploring various extensions and modifications of this model within the scientific community. From a technical standpoint, the totality of results concerning these variants are characterized by the assumption that the total flux, involving both distributions, of the model under consideration is zero. This research aims to present a novel perspective by focusing on models with a positive total flux. Specifically, by employing Robin-type boundary conditions for u and v, we seek to gain insights into the interactions between cells and their environment, uncovering important dynamics such as how variations in boundary conditions influence chemotactic behavior. In particular, the choice of the boundary conditions is motivated by real-world phenomena and by the fact that the related analysis reveals some interesting properties of the system.