Monotonicity, asymptotics and level sets for principal eigenvalues of some elliptic operators with shear flow

Abstract

We investigate the joint effects of diffusion and advection on principal eigenvalues of some elliptic operators with shear flow. Some monotonicity and asymptotic behaviors of principal eigenvalues, with respect to diffusion rate and flow amplitude, are established. These analyses lead to a classification of topological structures of level sets for principal eigenvalues, as a function of diffusion rate and flow amplitude. Our analytical results provide a unifying viewpoint to understand mixing enhancement and dispersal-induced growth, which are apparently two unrelated phenomena, one in fluid mechanics and the other in population dynamics. In our analysis, some limiting Hamilton-Jacobi equations, blowup argument and limiting generalized principal eigenvalue problems play critical roles.