External Fluctuations in Front Propagation

J. Armero; J. M. Sancho; J. Casademunt; A. M. Lacasta; L. Ramírez-Piscina; F. Sagués

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.76.3045

External Fluctuations in Front Propagation

J. Armero, J. M. Sancho, J. Casademunt, A. M. Lacasta, L. Ramírez-Piscina, and F. Sagués

Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 3045 – Published 22 April 1996

Abstract

We study the effects of external noise in a one-dimensional model of front propagation. Noise is introduced through the fluctuations of a control parameter leading to a multiplicative stochastic partial differential equation. Analytical and numerical results for the front shape and velocity are presented. The linear-marginal-stability theory is found to increase its range of validity in the presence of external noise. As a consequence noise can stabilize fronts not allowed by the deterministic equation.

Received 5 December 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.76.3045

Authors & Affiliations

J. Armero¹, J. M. Sancho^1,4, J. Casademunt¹, A. M. Lacasta², L. Ramírez-Piscina², and F. Sagués³

¹Departament d'Estructura i Constituents de la Matèria, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 647, E-080028 Barcelona, Spain
²Departament de Física Aplicada, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Av. Dr. Gregorio Marañón 50, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
³Departament de Qumíca Física, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 647, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
⁴Institute for Nonlinear Science, Department 0407, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0407