The radially symmetric spread of an insect population density n(r,t) in the plane is described by the equation
∂t∂n=rD0∂r∂[r(n0n)2∂r∂n]
Suppose Q insects are released at r=0 at t=0. We wish to find a similarity solution to (∗) in the form
n(r,t)=λ2(t)n0F(r0λ(t)r)
Show first that the PDE (∗) reduces to an ODE for F if λ(t) obeys the equation
λ5dtdλ=Cr02D0
where C is an arbitrary constant (that may be set to unity), and then obtain λ(t) and F such that F(0)=1 and F(ξ)=0 for ξ⩾1. Determine r0 in terms of n0 and Q. Sketch the function n(r,t) at various times to indicate its qualitative behaviour.