Stability of position control of traveling waves in reaction-diffusion systems

Abstract: We consider the stability of position control of traveling waves in reaction-diffusion system as proposed in {[}J. L\"ober, H. Engel, arXiv:1304.2327{]}. Instead of analyzing the controlled reaction-diffusion system, stability is studied on the reduced level of the equation of motion for the position over time of perturbed traveling waves. We find an interval of perturbations of initial conditions for which position control is stable. This interval can be interpreted as a localized region where traveling waves are susceptible to perturbations. For stationary solutions of reaction-diffusion systems with reflection symmetry, this region does not exist. Analytical results are in qualitative agreement with numerical simulations of the controlled Schl\"ogl model.