We consider a three-dimensional model for a myelinated neuron, which includes Hodgkin–Huxley ordinary differential equations to represent membrane dynamics at Ranvier nodes (unmyelinated areas). Assuming a periodic microstructure with alternating myelinated and unmyelinated parts, we use homogenization methods to derive a one-dimensional nonlinear cable equation describing the potential propagation along the neuron. Since the resistivity of intracellular and extracellular domains is much smaller than the myelin resistivity, we assume this last one to be a perfect insulator and impose homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions on the myelin boundary. In contrast to the case when the conductivity of the myelin is nonzero, no additional terms appear in the one-dimensional limit equation, and the model geometry affects the limit solution implicitly through an auxiliary cell problem used to compute the effective coefficient. We present numerical examples revealing the forecasted dependence of the effective coefficient on the size of the Ranvier node

We derive a one-dimensional cable model for the electric potential propagation along an axon. Since the typical thickness of an axon is much smaller than its length, and the myelin sheath is distributed periodically along the neuron, we simplify the problem geometry to a thin cylinder with alternating myelinated and unmyelinated parts. Both the microstructure period and the cylinder thickness are assumed to be of order ε, a small positive parameter. Assuming a nonzero conductivity of the myelin sheath, we find a critical scaling with respect to ε which leads to the appearance of an additional potential in the homogenized nonlinear cable equation. This potential contains information about the geometry of the myelin sheath in the original three-dimensional model. 

We study the existence and uniqueness of a solution to a linear stationary convection–diffusion equation stated in an infinite cylinder, Neumann boundary condition being imposed on the boundary. We assume that the cylinder is a junction of two semi-infinite cylinders with two different periodic regimes. Depending on the direction of the effective convection in the two semi-infinite cylinders, we either get a unique solution, or one-parameter family of solutions, or even non-existence in the general case. In the latter case we provide necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a solution.

The aim of this paper is to adapt the notion of two-scale convergence in Lp to the case of a measure converging to a singular one. We present a specific case when a thin cylinder with locally periodic rapidly oscillating boundary shrinks to a segment, and the corresponding measure charging the cylinder converges to a one-dimensional Lebegues measure of an interval. The method is then applied to the asymptotic analysis of linear elliptic operators with locally periodic coefficients and a p-Laplacian stated in thin cylinders with locally periodic rapidly varying thickness.

We consider the homogenization of a singularly perturbed self-adjoint fourth order elliptic operator with locally periodic coefficients, stated in a bounded domain. We impose Dirichlet boundary conditions on the boundary of the domain. The presence of large parameters in the lower order terms and the dependence of the coefficients on the slow variable lead to localization of the eigenfunctions. We show that the jth eigenfunction can be approximated by a rescaled function that is constructed in terms of the jth eigenfunction of fourth or second order effective operators with constant coefficients.

We consider the homogenization of an elliptic spectral problem with a large potential stated in a thin cylinder with a locally periodic perforation. The size of the perforation gradually varies from point to point. We impose homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions on the boundary of perforation and on the lateral boundary of the cylinder. The presence of a large parameter 1/ε in front of the potential and the dependence of the perforation on the slow variable give rise to the effect of localization of the eigenfunctions. We show that the jth eigenfunction can be approximated by a scaled exponentially decaying function that is constructed in terms of the jth eigenfunction of a one-dimensional harmonic oscillator operator.

This paper is aimed at homogenization of an elliptic spectral problem stated in a perforated domain, Fourier boundary conditions being imposed on the boundary of perforation. The presence of a locally periodic coefficient in the boundary operator gives rise to the effect of localization of the eigenfunctions. Moreover, the limit behavior of the lower part of the spectrum can be described in terms of an auxiliary harmonic oscillator operator. We describe the asymptotics of the eigenpairs and derive estimates for the rate of convergence. 

We consider the homogenization of a non-stationary convection–diffusion equation posed in a bounded domain with periodically oscillating coefficients and homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions. Assuming that the convection term is large, we give the asymptotic profile of the solution and determine its rate of decay. In particular, it allows us to characterize the “hot spot”, i.e., the precise asymptotic location of the solution maximum which lies close to the domain boundary and is also the point of concentration. Due to the competition between convection and diffusion, the position of the “hot spot” is not always intuitive as exemplified in some numerical tests.