Time-periodic reaction-diffusion equations can be discussed
in the
context of discrete-time strongly monotone
dynamical systems. It
follows from the general theory that typical
trajectories approach
stable periodic solutions. Among these periodic solutions,
there are
some that have the same period as the equation, but, possibly,
there
might be others with larger
minimal periods (these are called
subharmonic solutions). The problem of existence of stable subharmonic
solutions is therefore of fundamental importance in the
study of the
behavior of solutions. We address this problem
for two classes of
reaction diffusion equations under Neumann
boundary conditions.
Namely, we consider spatially inhomogeneous equations, which
can have
stable subharmonic solutions on any domain, and spatially homogeneous
equations, which can have such solutions
on some (necessarily
non-convex) domains.