Similarity solutions for systems arising from an Aedes aegypti model

Igor Leite Freire1 and Mariano Torrisi1,2

1
Centro de Matemática, Computação e Cognição
Universidade Federal do ABC - UFABC
Rua Santa Adélia, 166, Bairro Bangu, 09.210 − 170
Santo André, SP - Brasil
E-mail: igor.freire@ufabc.edu.br/igor.leite.freire@gmail.com
2
Dipartimento di Matematica e Informatica,
Università Degli Studi di Catania,
Viale Andrea Doria, 6, 95125 Catania, Italia;
E-mail: torrisi@dmi.unict.it/m.torrisi12@gmail.com

Abstract
In a recent paper a new model for the Aedes aegypti mosquito dispersal dynamics was proposed
and its Lie point symmetries were investigated. According to the carried group classification,
the maximal symmetry Lie algebra of the nonlinear cases is reached whenever the advection
term vanishes. In this work we analyze the family of systems obtained when the wind effects
on the proposed model are neglected. Wide new classes of solutions to the systems under
consideration are obtained.
Keywords: Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, symmetries, exact solutions
2008 MSC: 92D25, 76M60, 58J70, 35A30, 70G65

1. Introduction
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can be considered the primary vector for dengue and urban yellow
fever. It is possible to find them around the world, not only in the tropical regions but also
beyond them, reaching temperate climates.
Because of its importance as a vector of deadly diseases, the significance of its distribution
in urban areas and the possibility of breeding in laboratory facilities, Aedes aegypti is one of
the best-focused and studied mosquitoes [1].
To the best of our knowledge, the first partial differential equation model for the Aedes
aegypti was introduced in [2, 3] by writing a semilinear system of two partial differential equa-
tions. In recent works, see [4, 5], taking into account the modeling for Proteus mirabilis bacterial
colonies (see [7]) we introduced the following quasilinear system for the dispersal dynamics of
the Aedes aegypti, 
p q γ γ 
 ut = (u ux )x − 2νu ux + v +
 − µ1 u,
k k
(1)

vt = ku + (k − µ2 − γ)v.


Preprint submitted to Elsevier December 24, 2013

In this system, as well as in [2], u and v are, respectively, non-dimensional densities of winged
population and aquatic population of mosquitoes and k, γ, µ1 , µ2 are non-dimensional, in gen-
eral, positive parameters while ν is a real parameter. Specifically k is the ratio between the
constants k̄1 and k̄2 , which are, respectively, the carrying capacity related to the amount of
findable nutrients and the carrying capacity effect depending on the occupation of the avail-
able breeder, γ denotes the specific rate of maturation of the aquatic form into winged female
mosquitoes, while µ1 , µ2 are, respectively, the mortality of winged population and the mortal-
ity of aquatic population. Finally ν denotes the component of constant wind speed along the
direction x due to wind currents. In general, such current generates an advection motion of
large masses of the winged mosquito population and, consequently, can improve a fast advance
of the infestation.
The first equation of (1) gives the time rate of the change
of the mosquito density as sum of
the growth rate term γk v, the per capita death rate γk − µ1 u and the diffusive-advective flux
due to the movement of mosquito population.
The second equation gives the corresponding time rate of change of the density of aquatic
population as a sum of the growth rate term ku of aquatic population, due to the new egg
depositions of female mosquitoes, with per capita death rate (k − µ2 ) v of aquatic population.
The term −γv represents the loss due to the change of the aquatic into winged form.
We would like to stress that the interaction between winged and aquatic populations is very
weak. As a consequence of this fact and as a new proposal we removed the terms γk v(1 − u) and
γ
k(1 − v)u of logistic type, appearing in [2], and substituted them, respectively, with (v + u)
k
and k(u + v). Then the interaction is given by the terms γk v and ku appearing respectively in
the first equation and in the second equation. Differently from [2] we assume here a nonlinear
diffusive-advective flux.
In this paper we consider the quasilinear systems obtained from (1) by putting ν = 0. This
case arose in [4] as the nonlinear case admitting the maximal Lie symmetry algebra. However,
from biological point of view these systems can be considered cases of the general systems (1)
where the wind effects can be neglect. Moreover we stress that even, in agreement with [6], this
hypothesis can be considered realistic for several situations, the knowledge of mathematical
features of the system we have got could be useful both for itself and also as a preliminary
study of ν 6= 0.
The search for solutions is performed via group method techniques as they represent a tool
offering a methodological way to obtain solutions of nonlinear systems (see, e.g. [8, 9, 10, 11,
12]). Moreover they could show mathematical suggestions about the constitutive parameters
appearing in the system under consideration.
The plan of the paper is as it follows. In the next section we show the symmetries of the
systems under consideration. The most general reduction and exact solutions to the system
(1), with ν = 0 and p = −4/3 are found in the section 3. Next, in the section 4, it is discussed
the case p 6= −4/3 and ν = 0. At the same section we not only find several exact solutions to
the considered cases, but we also present some remarks on boundness of them. Conclusions are
given in section 5.

2
2. The symmetries for ν = 0
System (1) was studied from the point of view of Lie symmetry theory in [4] and there it
was completely classified with respect to the constitutive parameters p, q, ν.
For ν = 0, apart from the case p = 0, the largest Lie symmetry algebra is reached when
p = −4/3. In this case the system (1) reads

−4 γ γ
 ut = (u 3 ux )x + v + ( − µ1 )u,

k k
(2)

vt = ku + (k − µ2 − γ)v,


whose Lie algebra, taking the results obtained in [4] into account, is spanned by

X1 = ∂x , X2 = ∂t , Xp = px∂x + 2u∂u + 2v∂v , (3)

with p = −4/3 in Xp , and by the additional generator

X3 = x2 ∂x − 3xu∂u − 3xv∂v .

For ν = 0 and for all p ∈

/ {−4/3, 0}, (1) assumes the form

p γ γ 
u
 t
 = (u u )
x x + v + − µ 1 u,
k k
(4)

vt = ku + (k − µ2 − γ)v.


The symmetries of (4) generates a 3-dimensional Lie algebra spanned by the generators (3).

3. Reduction and exact solutions of the system (2)

Now we consider the linear combination

X = (c1 + 2xc4 + c3 x2 )∂x + c2 ∂t − (3xuc3 + 3uc4 )∂u − (3xvc3 + 3vc4 )∂v (5)
of the basis of the Lie symmetry algebra for the system (2).
Then in order to determine the invariant solutions, we must solve the characteristic system
dt dx du
= = − , (6)
c2 c3 x2 + 2xc4 + c1 3xuc3 + 3uc4

dt dx dv
= 2
=− , (7)
c2 c3 x + 2xc4 + c1 3xvc3 + 3vc4
obtained from the invariant surface conditions.
One can assume, without lost of generality, that c3 = 1. Then, the solutions of the last
equation of (6) and (7) are, respectively,
A(φ) B(φ)
u= , v= 2 , (8)
(x2 + 2c4 x + c1 )3/2 (x + 2c4 x + c1 )3/2

3
while
 c2
 t+ , if c24 − c1 = 0,
x + c4






Z 
 !
dx 
c2 x + c4
φ = t − c2 = t− p arctan p , if c24 − c1 < 0, (9)
x2 + 2c4 x + c1  c1 − c4 2
c1 − c42

  p 
2
c x + c − c − c
  
2 4 1
 4
t − ln , if c24 − c1 > 0.

  
 p  p
2 2
2 c4 − c1  x + c4 + c4 − c1 


In order to use the transformations (8) and (9) to construct exact solutions of (2), we avoid
from (5) time translations substituting c2 = 0 into (9). Therefore, after setting c2 = 0 in (9),
substituting it into (8) and, in the following, into (2), it is obtained the following ordinary
differential equation system for A and B:
1 γ γ 
A0 = −3A− 3 (c1 − c24 ) + B + − µ1 A,
k k
(10)
B 0 = kA + (k − µ2 − γ)B.
If we consider the case c1 = c24 , by isolating B in the first equation of (10) and by substituting
into the second one, the following linear second order ODE is obtained
A00 (t) + bA0 (t) + cA(t) = 0, (11)
where
γ γ 
b = µ1 + µ2 + γ − k − , c = −γ + − µ1 (k − µ2 − γ). (12)
k k
The cases c2 6= 0 and the cases c1 6= c24 of the system (10) will not be considered in this paper.
The solution of (11) is
√ ! √ !
bt ∆t bt ∆t
A(t) = a1 e− 2 cosh + a2 e− 2 sinh , (13)
2 2

where a1 , a2 are arbitrary constants and

h γ i2
∆ = 4γ + µ1 − + (k − µ2 − γ) > 0.
k
Moreover, substituting (13) into (10), we conclude that B(t) is given by
bt
" √ ! √ !#
e− 2 √ ∆t ∆t
B(t) = a1 ∆ sinh − b cosh +
2 2 2
bt
" √ ! √ !#
e− 2 √ ∆t ∆t
+a2 ∆ cosh − b sinh . (14)
2 2 2

Going back to the original variables, taking (9) into account, we are able to write u(x, t)
and v(x, t).

4
4. Reductions and exact solutions of the system (4)
4.1. Reductions
We now consider the system (4) with the following general infinitesimal operator
X = pc1 X1 + c2 X2 + Xp (15)
where c1 and c2 are arbitrary real constants.
By applying the invariant surface conditions we get that the invariant solutions, with respect
to the transformations generated by the operator X, must be of the following form:
2 2
u(x, t) = A(σ)(x + c1 ) p , v(x, t) = B(σ)(x + c1 ) p ,
where
et
σ= c2
(c1 + x) p
is the so-called similarity variable and with A(σ) and B(σ) satisfying the following general
reduced system of ODEs

0 0 2 γ γ 
 A σ = (2A − A σ) + B + − µ 1 A
k k






c2 A00 σ 2
     
p 4 2 0σ 2 (16)
+ A 2
− A + A (1 − c2 ) 1 + + ,


 p p p p p




 0
B σ = kA + (k − µ2 − γ)B.
As in the previous case, by neglecting traslations in time, the reduced system (16) can be
simplified. The similarity variable becomes σ = t, while the solutions are separable variable
solutions of the form:
2 2
u(x, t) = A(t)(x + c1 ) p , v(x, t) = B(t)(x + c1 ) p , (17)
where A(t) and B(t) satisfy the following first order system of ODEs

 A0 (t) = 4 + 2p A(t)p+1 + γ B(t) + γ − µ1 A(t),
 

p2 k k

(18)

 B 0 (t) = kA(t) + (k − µ − γ)B(t).

2

It is easy to ascertain that by a simple calculations it is possible to reduce the search for
solutions of (18) to the search or solutions of the following second order ODE:

 
00 (p + 1)(4 + 2p) p γ
A (t) − A (t) + − µ1 + k − µ2 − γ A0 (t) +
p2 k
 
4 + 2p p
γ
+ (k − µ2 − γ) 2 A(t) − γ + (k − µ2 − γ) − µ1 A(t) = 0, (19)
p k

5
that is a family of Lienard equations. After having put
(p + 1)(4 + 2p) 4 + 2p
a= , d = (k − µ2 − γ) , (20)
p2 p2
we are able to write (19) as

A00 (t) − (a Ap − b) A0 + (d Ap + c) A = 0, (21)

where b and c are given by (12). Some classes of solutions of this family will be investigated in
the following.

4.2. Solutions for p = −2

Substituting p = −2 into (20), and taking (12) and (21) into account, we obtain

A00 (t) + bA0 (t) + cA(t) = 0.

This equation is identical to equation (11) whose solutions have been shown in the previous
section. In particular, if the parameters are related by (see [4])

α2 α2 α2
γ= , µ1 = , k = ρ, µ2 = ρ − ,
4 4ρ 4
where α and ρ are positive constants, the solutions obtained in Section 3 are specialized as it
follows    
1 αt 2ρ αt
u(x, t) = sinh , v(x, t) = cosh
(x + c1 ) 2 α(x + c1 ) 2
or    
1 αt 2ρ αt
u(x, t) = cosh , v(x, t) = sinh .
(x + c1 ) 2 α(x + c1 ) 2

4.3. Solutions for p = −1

In this case (21) becomes

A00 (t) + bA0 (t) + cA(t) + d = 0,

whose general solutions are

√ ! √ !
d bt ∆t − bt ∆t
A(t) = − + a1 e− 2 cosh + a2 e 2 sinh , (22)
c 2 2

where
d 2(k − µ2 − γ)
= .
−γ + γk − µ1 (k − µ2 − γ)


c
After substituting (22) into the second equation of the system (18) we can easily obtain the
function B(t).

6
4.4. Solutions to Eq. (21) with p 6= −1; −2
In this subsection, once considered the previous special cases, the analysis of Eq. (21) is
concerned with the study of a Lienard equation family. After having studied some special cases,
where we have been able to get solutions in a closed form, in this subsection we show some
special solutions concerned with this type of equations.

4.4.1. Solutions with c = 0

Assuming c = 0 into (21), we get

A00 (t) − (a Ap − b) A0 + d Ap+1 = 0. (23)

Then, after putting w(A) = A0 (t) our equation becomes

ww0 − (a Ap − b) w + d Ap+1 = 0, (24)

that can be solved with respect to w(A).

For this equation we look for solutions of the type
d p−1
w= A
m
from where, by substituting into (24) we get
p − 1 p−2
dA − aAp + b + mA2 = 0,
m
which is satisfied for p = 2 and
d
+ b = 0, m − a = 0,
m
that implies
ab + d = 0.

4.4.2. Additional exact solutions

In the framework of this subsection, for further developments and taking into account the
numerical values for the adimensional constitutive parameters γ, k, µ1 , µ2 , appearing in Taka-
hashi et. al. [2], we consider

γ = 2.5 × 10−1 , k = 6.66 × 10−3 , µ1 = 1.33 × 10−3 , µ2 = 3.33 × 10−4 . (25)

We observe that for values of the constitutive parameters of the same order of magnitude
of those given by (25) it is possible to assume that

a ≤ 0 ∀p ∈ [−2, −1] , b < 0, c < 0, d ≤ 0 ∀p ∈ [−2, +∞) . (26)

Let w be a function such that w(A) = A0 (t). Then equation (21) becomes

ww0 − (a Ap − b) w + (d Ap + c) A = 0. (27)

7
 It is a simple matter to ascertain that the equation (27) admits the solutions w = mA, m ∈
R, provided that the following conditions are satisfied

ma − d = 0, m2 + bm + c = 0.

These conditions bring us to  2

d d
+ b + c = 0. (28)
a a
Taking into account the expressions for a, b, c, d and the relations (20), we try to solve (28)
with respect to p, then from the previous data and the consequent inequalities for the quantities
a, b, c and d we can affirm that exist two real solutions (one negative and one positive) for p:
√
−b(k − µ2 − γ) ± |k − µ2 − γ| b2 − 4c
p1,2 = −1 + .
2c
Therefore, the Lienard equations
 
00 (p1,2 + 1)(4 + 2p1,2 ) p1,2 γ
A (t) − A (t) + − µ1 + k − µ2 − γ A0 (t) +
p21,2 k
 
4 + 2p1,2 p1,2
γ
+ (k − µ2 − γ) A(t) − γ + (k − µ2 − γ) − µ1 A(t) = 0
p21,2 k

admit the solutions

A1,2 = A0 em1,2 t ,
where A0 is a constant and  
d
m1,2 = .
a p=p1,2
Going back to the original variable we get
2
u1,2 (x, t) = A0 em1,2 t (x + c1 ) p1,2 .

In the same way after substituting A1,2 in the second equation of the system (18) it is a simple
matter to solve it and get the corresponding B1,2 (t).

4.4.3. About the solutions of Eq. (21)

According to [13], after putting
Z
z= (a Ap − b) dA,

equation (27) becomes an Abel equation of the second kind in the canonical form

cz + dz p+1
ww0 = w + , (29)
b − az p
8
where w = w(z).
We observe that equation (29) is always defined because we are in the case p 6= −1; −2
which implies a 6= 0.
In the case b = 0, that is when
γ
k − µ2 − γ = − µ1 ,
k
the equation (29) specializes as

ww0 − w = gz + hz 1−p , (30)

with g = − ad and h = − ac .
Once equation (29) is solved, we can determine the function A and, consequently, sys-
tem (18) is solved. The solutions of (30) are, usually, determined in a parametric form and,
not rarely, they depend on special functions, such as Elliptic Weierstrass function and Bessel
function. A large number of equations of the type (30) are discussed in [13].

4.5. Critical points of the system (4)

Let us now find the values of the functions A(t) and B(t) at their critical points. By solving
(18) after having put A0 = B 0 = 0, we obtain
 p1  p1
p2 ((kµ1 − γ)(γ + µ2 ) − k 2 µ1 ) p2 k p−1 ((kµ1 − γ)(γ + µ2 ) − k 2 µ1 )
 
A0 = , B0 = ,
k(4 + 2p)(γ + µ2 − k) (4 + 2p)(γ + µ2 − k)p+1
for p 6= −2 and provided that there is not loss of meaning due to some values of p and/or the
other constitutive parameters.
For p = −2 the search for the critical points bring to a linear algebraic homogeneous system.
Then in order to admit nontrivial solutions the following additional compatibility condition
holds
γ
(γ + µ2 )(µ1 − ) − µ1 k = 0.
k
Therefore
γ  γ
A0 = ρ B0 = ρ µ1 − (31)
k k
with ρ non zero arbitrary constant.

4.6. Some remarks about the solutions of the system (4)

Taking into account the biological origin of u and v, we assume that u, v ≥ 0. Moreover,
solutions of the form (17) imply that A(t) > 0 and B(t) ≥ 0, provided that c1 > 0 and
(x, t) ∈ [0, ∞) × [0, ∞).
Concerning with the first equation of (18), in order to avoid the infestation, we must have
A0 (t) ≤ 0 so that A(t) is a bounded function. Then a necessary condition to the function A be
bounded is that at least one of the coefficients of A and Ap+1 in the first equation of the system
(18) is negative, that is:
γ
− µ1 < 0, (32)
k
9
or
p < −2. (33)
If we take into account the values of the parameters given in (25) (see also [2]), we can easily
conclude that condition (32) cannot be verified.
Instead, such condition would only be verified if we assume γ/k smaller than µ1 . This fact
could occurs whenever k = k̄1 /k̄2 is big, that means that the carrying capacity for aquatic
population is smaller than that one related with winged population. Whenever (33) holds,
condition (32) is a sufficient condition to get bounded solutions since the coefficient of A(t)p+1
is negative. For p ≥ −2, condition (32) is necessary, but not sufficient.
On the other hand if we assume that the solutions of the system (18) are bounded, from
the second equation of (18) it follows that a necessary condition to B is bounded is given by

k − µ2 − γ < 0.

The biological condition for the existence of the mosquito population, see in [14] and [6], is
γ − µ1 (µ2 + γ) > 0 which is easily obtained once it is assumed
γ
k< , k > µ2 + γ.
µ1

These assumptions imply that A0 (t) > 0 and B 0 (t) > 0, for any p > −2. Such conditions
occur when there is an infestation of mosquitos.

5. Conclusions
In this paper we recall a model concerned with Aedes aegypti introduced in [4] and look
for similarity solutions, in absence of wind effects, by using the symmetries found in [4]. The
classification performed there shows that the system considered admits a four dimensional
algebra for p = − 34 and a three-dimensional algebra for all p 6= − 34 ; 0. After having found
the most general reduction for both systems we look for separable variable solutions. Several
classes of exact solutions have been found. In particular for p 6= − 34 ; 0 the solution of reduced
system is brought to the search for solutions of a class of Lienard equations, which was widely
discussed.
Finally some remarks on the behavior of invariant solutions of the system (4) and its bi-
ological compatibility are done. In particular we observed that, as expected, the boundness
of solutions, as well as the biological condition (see [14, 6]) for the existence of the mosquito
population γ − µ1 (µ2 + γ) > 0, are strictly related to the features of the per capita death rate
γ
k
− µ1 in adult phase and to the features of the per capita death rate k − µ2 in aquatic phase.
We wish to stress that the solutions found here, as well as those obtained in [4], are, until
now the only exact solutions concerned with the considered mathematical model for Aedes
aegypti dispersal dynamics. These special invariant solutions we derived here, in general, do
not satisfy arbitrary initial or boundary conditions prescribed for a given problem. However
they might be useful for a benchmark test for larger numerical schemes devised to solve our
system in a realistic case.

10
 Moreover, as subject of further investigations, it will be useful to study and look for additionl
solutions of the Lienard equations (19), Abel equations (24) and Abel equations of the second
kind (29). We plan to continue in the aforesaid researches together with the search, concerned
with model (1), for additional exact solutions and additional news about the structure of its
constitutive functions.

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank FAPESP for financial support (grants 2011/20072-0 and
2011/19089-6). Mariano Torrisi would also like to thank CMCC-UFABC for its warm hospi-
tality and GNFM (Gruppo Nazionale per Fisica-Matematica) for its support. He also thanks
the support from University of Catania through PRA and from MIUR through PRIN: Modelli
cinetici e macroscopici per il transporto di particelle in semiconductori: aspetti modellistici,
analitici e computazionali.
We would like to thank the referees for their useful comments and suggestions which have
considerably improved the paper.

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