We study the effect of population mobility on the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases by considering a susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered (SEIR) epidemic model with graph Laplacian diffusion, that is, on a weighted network. First, we establish the existence and uniqueness of solutions to the SEIR model defined on a weighed graph. Then by constructing Liapunov functions, we show that the disease-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable if the basic reproduction number is less than unity and the endemic equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable if the basic reproduction number is greater than unity. Finally, we apply our generalized weighed graph to Watts–Strogatz network and carry out numerical simulations, which demonstrate that degrees of nodes determine peak numbers of the infectious population as well as the time to reach these peaks. It also indicates that the network has an impact on the transient dynamical behaviour of the epidemic transmission.
We study the effect of population mobility on the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases by considering a susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered (SEIR) epidemic model with graph Laplacian diffusion, that is, on a weighted network. First, we establish the existence and uniqueness of solutions to the SEIR model defined on a weighed graph. Then by constructing Liapunov functions, we show that the disease-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable if the basic reproduction number is less than unity and the endemic equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable if the basic reproduction number is greater than unity. Finally, we apply our generalized weighed graph to Watts–Strogatz network and carry out numerical simulations, which demonstrate that degrees of nodes determine peak numbers of the infectious population as well as the time to reach these peaks. It also indicates that the network has an impact on the transient dynamical behaviour of the epidemic transmission.
Steady-state diffusion in long axisymmetric structures is considered. The goal is to assess one-dimensional approximations by comparing them with axisymmetric eigenfunction expansions. Two problems are considered in detail: a finite tube with one end that is partly absorbing and partly reflecting; and two finite coaxial tubes with different cross-sectional radii joined together abruptly. Both problems may be modelled using effective boundary conditions, containing a parameter known as the trapping rate. We show that trapping rates depend on the lengths of the finite tubes (and that they decay slowly as these lengths increase) and we show how trapping rates are related to blockage coefficients, which are well known in the context of potential flow along tubes of infinite length.
Steady-state diffusion in long axisymmetric structures is considered. The goal is to assess one-dimensional approximations by comparing them with axisymmetric eigenfunction expansions. Two problems are considered in detail: a finite tube with one end that is partly absorbing and partly reflecting; and two finite coaxial tubes with different cross-sectional radii joined together abruptly. Both problems may be modelled using effective boundary conditions, containing a parameter known as the trapping rate. We show that trapping rates depend on the lengths of the finite tubes (and that they decay slowly as these lengths increase) and we show how trapping rates are related to blockage coefficients, which are well known in the context of potential flow along tubes of infinite length.