Spatially adaptive stochastic numerical methods for intrinsic fluctuations in reaction-diffusion systems

Stochastic partial differential equations are introduced for the continuum concentration fields of reaction-diffusion systems. The stochastic partial differential equations account for fluctuations arising from the finite number of molecules which diffusively migrate and react. Spatially adaptive stochastic numerical methods are developed for approximation of the stochastic partial differential equations. The methods allow for adaptive meshes with multiple levels of resolution, Neumann and Dirichlet boundary conditions, and domains having geometries with curved boundaries. A key issue addressed by the methods is the formulation of consistent discretizations for the stochastic driving fields at coarse-refined interfaces of the mesh and at boundaries. Methods are also introduced for the efficient generation of the required stochastic driving fields on such meshes. As a demonstration of the methods, investigations are made of the role of fluctuations in a biological model for microorganism direction sensing based on concentration gradients. Also investigated, a mechanism for spatial pattern formation induced by fluctuations. The discretization approaches introduced for SPDEs have the potential to be widely applicable in the development of numerical methods for the study of spatially extended stochastic systems. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.