Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 33 (2007) 513522

www.elsevier.com/locate/chaos

New applications of Adomian decomposition method

S.A. El-Wakil *, M.A. Abdou
Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Theoretical Research Group, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt

Accepted 16 December 2005

Communicated by Prof. M. Wadati

Abstract

In this article, we have discussed a new application of Adomian decomposition method on nonlinear physical equa-
tions. The models of interest in physics are considered and solved by means of Adomian decomposition method. The
behaviour of Adomian solutions and the eects of dierent values of t are investigated. Numerical illustrations that
include nonlinear physical models are investigated to show the pertinent features of the technique.
2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction

Nonlinear phenomena, that appear in many areas of scientic elds such as solid state physics, plasma physics, uid
dynamics, mathematical biology and chemical kinetics can be modelled by partial dierential equation. A broad class of
analytical solutions methods and numerical solutions methods were used in handle these problems. The Adomian
decomposition method has been proved to be eective and reliable for handling dierential equations, linear or
nonlinear.
Various methods for seeking explicit travelling solutions to nonlinear partial dierentials equations are proposed [1
6]. In the beginning of the 1980, a so-called Adomian decomposition (ADM) method [721] has been used to solve eec-
tively, easily, and accurately a large class of linear and nonlinear equations, solutions partial, deterministic or stochastic
dierential equations with approximates which converge rapidly.
Unlike classical techniques, the nonlinear equations are solved easily and elegantly without transforming the equa-
tion by using the ADM. The technique has many advantages over the classical techniques, mainly, it avoids lineariza-
tion and perturbation in order to nd explicit solutions of a given nonlinear equations. To give a clear view to our
study, we have chosen three examples of special interest to illustrate the analysis of Adomian decomposition method.
The rest of this paper is arranged as follows. In Section 2, we simply provide the mathematical framework of the
Adomian decomposition (ADM) method. In Section 3, in order to illustrate the method, three models in physics are
investigated. Finally, some conclusion are provided.

*
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: m_abdou_eg@yahoo.com (M.A. Abdou).

0960-0779/$ - see front matter 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.chaos.2005.12.037
514 S.A. El-Wakil, M.A. Abdou / Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 33 (2007) 513522

2. Analysis of the method

For the purpose of illustration of the methodology to the proposed method, using ADM, we begin by considering
the dierential equation
Lu Ru Nu g; 1
with prescribed conditions, where u is the unknown function, L is the highest order derivative which is assumed to be eas-
ily invertible, R is a linear dierential operator of less order than L, Nu represents the nonlinear term and g is the source
term. Assuming the inverse operator L1 exists and it can be taken as the dene integral with respect to t from t0 to t, i.e.,
Z t
L1  dt. 2
t0

Applying the inverse operator L1 to both sides of Eq. (1) and using the initial conditions we nd
u f  L1 Ru  Nu; 3
where the function f(x) represents the term arising from integrating the source term g and from using the given initial or
boundary conditions, all are assumed to be prescribed.
The nonlinear operator [Nu] can be decomposed by an innite series of polynomials given by
X1
N u An u0 ; u1 ; . . . ; un ; 4
n0

where An(u0, u1, . . . , un) are the appropriate Adomians polynomials are dened by [7,8]
" !#
1 dn X1
k
An N k uk ; n > 0. 5
n! dkn k0 k0

This formula is easy to compute by using Mathematica software or by setting a computer code to get as many poly-
nomials as we need in the calculation of the numerical as well as explicit solutions.
The Adomian decomposition method assumes a series that the unknown function u(x, t) can be expressed by an in-
nite series of the form
X
1
ux; t un x; t. 6
n0

Identifying the zeros component u(x, 0), the remaining components where n > 1 can be determined by using recur-
rence relation
u0 x f x; 7
un1 x; t L1 Run  An ; n > 0; 8
then other polynomials can be generated in a similar way. The scheme (8) can easily determine the components un(x, t).
It is in principle, possible to calculate more components in the decomposition
P series to enhance the approximation.
Consequently, can recursively determine every term of the series 1 u
n0 n x; t, and hence the solution u(x, t) is readily
obtained. It is interesting to note that we obtained the solution by using the initial condition only.

3. Applications

For simplicity, we are interested to deal with Adomian decomposition solution associated with the operator L1
rather than the other operators in our examples.

3.1. Example 1

In the rst model we shall deal with coupled system of nonlinear physical equations [22]
oux; t
u1  u2  v uxx ; t > 0; 9
ot
ovx; t
v1  u  v vxx ; 10
ot
 S.A. El-Wakil, M.A. Abdou / Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 33 (2007) 513522 515

with initial condition [22]

ekx
ux; 0 ; 11
1 ekx 
1 3=4ekx
vx; 0 ; 12
1 ekx 2
where k is constants.
Following Adomian decomposition method [710], Eqs. (9) and (10) can be written in an operator form as

Lu u  N u  Ku; v uxx ; 13
Lv v  Mv  Ku; v vxx ; 14

where L oto .
Operating with L1 on the both sides of Eqs. (13) and (14) and using the initial conditions (11) and (12) gives
ux; t ux; 0 L1 u  N u  Ku; v uxx ; 15
vx; t vx; 0 L1 v  Mv  Ku; v vxx . 16
The Adomian decomposition method (ADM) assumes a series solution of the unknown functions u(x, t) and v(x, t)
are given by
X
1
ux; t un x; t; 17
n0
X
1
vx; t vn x; t. 18
n0

Substituting Eqs. (17) and (18) with the initial conditions into Eqs. (15) and (16) yields
" #
X1 X1 X
1
1
ux; t ux; 0 L un  N u  Ku; v unxx ; 19
n0 n0 n0
" #
X
1 X
1 X
1
1
vx; t vx; 0 L vn  Mv  Ku; v vnxx ; 20
n0 n0 n0

where the functions N(u), K(u, v) and M(v) are related to the nonlinear terms and can be expressed in terms of Adomian
polynomials as follows:
X1
Nu u3 Dn u; 21
n0
X
1
2
Mv v M n v; 22
n0
X1
Ku; v uv Ln uv. 23
n0

The rst three components of Adomian polynomials reads

D0 u30 ; 24
D1 3u20 u1 ; 25
D2 3u20 u2 3u0 u21 ; 26
M 0 v20 ; 27
M 1 2v0 v1 ; 28
M 2 2v0 v2 v21 ; 29
L0 u0 v0 ; 30
L1 u1 v0 u0 v1 ; 31
L2 v0 u2 u0 v2 u1 v1 . 32
516 S.A. El-Wakil, M.A. Abdou / Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 33 (2007) 513522

Identifying the zeroth components of u0 and v0, the remaining components un(x, t) and vn(x, t), n > 1 can be deter-
mined by using recursive relations given by

ekx
u0 ;
1 ekx 
1 3=4ekx
v0 ;
1 ekx 2
un1 x; t L1 un  Nun  Kun ; vn unxx ; 33
vn1 x; t L1 vn  M vn  Kun ; vn vnxx . 34

The remaining components un and vn, n > 1, can be completely determined such that each terms are determined by
using the previous terms, and the series solutions thus entirely evaluated. The explicit form of u1, u2, v1 and v2 of the
diusionreaction equation are written in Appendix A.
With dierent values of time t the behaviour of the solution are shown in Figs. 1a and 1b. Also it is shown from Figs.
2a and 2b the Adomian solutions agrees with the exact solution [22]
ezk
uz ; 35
1 ekz
1 3=4ekz
vz ; 36
1 ekz 2

where z = x + ct.

3.2. Example 2

A second interactive model is a coupled system of diusionreaction equation [22]

oux; t
u1  u  v uxx ; t > 0; 37
ot
ovx; t
vxx  uv; 38
ot

Fig. 1a. The numerical solution of u(x, t) by Adomian decomposition method for dierent values of time.

Fig. 1b. The numerical solution of v(x, t) by Adomian decomposition method for dierent values of time.
 S.A. El-Wakil, M.A. Abdou / Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 33 (2007) 513522 517

Fig. 2a. The exact wave front solution of u(x, t) Eq. (35) with a xed values of k = 1 and c = 1.

Fig. 2b. The exact wave front solution of v(x, t) Eq. (36) with a xed values of k = 1 and c = 1.

with initial conditions

ekx
ux; 0 ; 39
1 e0:5kx 2
1
vx; 0 ; 40
1 e0:5kx 
where k is constants.
The above system for two coupled nonlinear equations of reaction-diusion type arising in chemical reaction or ecol-
ogy, and other elds of physics. This model can be used to describe the ecological process of two specimen.
The system equations admits the following formal solution:
ux; t ux; 0 L1 u  N  u  K  u; v uxx ; 41
vx; t vx; 0 L1 uxx  K  u; v; 42
where the functions N*(u), K*(u, v) are retated to the nonlinear terms and can be expressed in terms of Adomian poly-
nomials as follows:
X
1
N  u u2 An u; 43
n0
X
1

K u; v uv Bn uv. 44
n0

The rst three components of Adomian polynomials reads

A0 u20 ; A1 2u0 u1 ; A2 2u0 u2 u21 ; 45
B0 u0 v0 ; B1 v0 u1 u0 v1 ; B2 v0 u2 u0 v2 u1 v1 . 46
Following Adomian method analysis, Eqs. (41) and (42) is transformed into a set of recursive relations given by
un1 x; t L1 un  An  Bn unxx ; n > 0; 47
vn1 x; t L1 unxx  Bn . 48
By means of the zeroth components of u0 and v0 the remaining components un and vn, n > 1, can be completely
determined such that each terms are determined by using the previous terms, and the series solutions thus entirely eval-
uated. The explicit form of u1, u2, v1 and v2 of the diusionreaction equation are written in Appendix B.
518 S.A. El-Wakil, M.A. Abdou / Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 33 (2007) 513522

Fig. 3a. The numerical solution of u(x, t) by Adomian decomposition for dierent values of time.

Fig. 3b. The numerical solution of v(x, t) by Adomian decomposition for dierent values of time.

The numerical behaviour of approximate solutions of Adomian decomposition method with dierent values of time
t are shown graphically, see Figs. 3a and 3b.
It is noted that the Adomian solution is equivalent to the exact solution [22]
ekz
uz ; 49
1 e0:5kz 2
1
vz ; 50
1 e0:5z
resulting from the classical form of diusionreaction equation where z = x + ct. The behaviour of exact solutions of
u(x, t) and v(x, t) is shown in Figs. 4a and 4b.

3.3. Example 3

In this model we consider an initial value problem for integro-dierential reaction diusion equation [23]
 Z 1 
oux; t o2 ux; t 2
u 1 au  bu  1 a  b kgkx  yuy; t dy ; 51
ot ox2 1

a > 0, 0 < b < 1 + a and k > 0, 1 < x < 1 and t > 0, with g an even function that satises
Z 1
gy 1; 52
1

Fig. 4a. Exact solution of u(x, t) Eq. (49) with a xed value of k = (2/3) for dierent values of time.
 S.A. El-Wakil, M.A. Abdou / Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 33 (2007) 513522 519

Fig. 4b. Exact solution of v(x, t) Eq. (50) with a xed value of k = (2/3) for dierent values of time.

Eq. (51) represents the nonlocal reaction diusion population to model the behaviour of a single species that derives
some competitive advantage from local aggregation (modelled by term au in Eq. (51)) within the capacity of the local
environment (modelled by the term bu2 in Eq. (51)), but also competes with itself through the depletion of resources in
a neighbourhood of its original position (modelled by the convolution integral in Eq. (51)). Here, we begin by focusing
on the simple kernel gy 12 ejyj . Since this particular choice of g(y) is the Greens function for an ordinary dierential
equation, then Eq. (51) is equivalent to the coupled equations
ou o2 ux; t
u au2  bu3  1 a  bvu; 53
ot ox2
o2 v
k2 u  v; 54
ox2
with initial and boundary conditions
ux; 0 1; vx 0; t 0; v0; t f t. 55
To solve Eqs. (53) and (54) by using ADM, we rewrite Eqs. (53) and (54) in an operator form
Lt u uxx u au2  bu3  1 a  bvu; 56
2
Lx v k u  v; 57
2
o
where Lt ot
,Lx o 2 and dene the inverse operator
Z x Z xox
L1
x dx0 dx00 . 58
0 0

Eqs. (56) and (57) admits the following formal solution:

ux; t ux; 0 L1
t uxx u aAn  bDn  1 a  bBn ; 59
vx; t v0; t xvx 0; t  k2 L1
x u  v; 60
where the functions An, Bn and Dn are dened by Eqs. (43), (44), and (21), respectively. Substituting Eqs. (18) and (19)
into Eqs. (59) and (60) we get the recursive relations
un1 L1
t unxx un aAn  bDn  1 a  bBn ; 61
un1 k2 L1
x un  vn . 62

Fig. 5a. The numerical solution of u(x, t) by Adomian decomposition for dierent values of time with a xed values of b = 1, k = 0.03
and a = 0.5.
520 S.A. El-Wakil, M.A. Abdou / Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 33 (2007) 513522

Fig. 5b. The numerical solution of v(x, t) by Adomian decomposition for dierent values of time with a xed values of b = 1, k = 0.03
and a = 0.5.

The rest of components un and vn, n > 1 can be directly evaluated using Eqs. (61) and (62). The explicit form of u1, u2,
v1 and v2 are written in Appendix C.
With a xed values of a = 0.5, b = 1, k = 0.03, f(t) = 1 + et, with dierent values of time t the numerical solution
ADM are shown in Figs. 5a and 5b.

4. Conclusion

In this article, Adomian decomposition method for approximating the solutions of some nonlinear coupled partial
dierential equations is implemented. By using this scheme, explicit exact solutions arising in nonlinear physics are cal-
culated in form of a convergent power series with easily computable components. To illustrate the application of this
method, numerical results were derived by using the calculated components of the decomposition series. Numerical
illustrations are investigated to show the pertinent features of the technique.
The results reported here provide further evidence of the usefulness of Adomian decomposition (ADM) method. The
ADM was clearly very ecient and powerful technique in nding the solutions of the proposed coupled nonlinear equa-
tions. It is clear that this method avoids linearization and biologically unrealistic assumptions, and provides an ecient
numerical solution.
Here we constructed the Adomian decomposition solutions associated with the operator L1. The question that
arises whether the other dierential operators in the dierential equation will lead to another type of ADM solutions.
The answer of such question is our task in future work.
It is worth noting that to increase the accuracy of the approach, higher components of Adomian series solution
should be taken into account. This can be done but only at the expense of a considerable increase in the complexity
of calculations.

Appendix A

ekx 1 4 3ekx
u0 : ; v0 : ;
1 ekx 4 1 ekx 2
 
1 ekx 5ekx  4k 2 4k 2 ekx t
u1 x; t :  ;
4 1 ekx 3
 
1 ekx 4 3ekx  20k 2 16k 2 ekx 12k 2 e2kx t
v1 x; t : ;
16 1 ekx 4
1 
u2 x; t :  ekx t2 2ekx  11e2kx 20e3kx 104k 2 e2kx  20k 2 e3kx  60k 2 ekx  8k 4
16

 88k 4 e2kx 8k 4 e3kx 88k 4 ekx =1  ekx 5 ;
1 
v2 x; t :  ekx t2 92k 2 ekx 8k 2 e2kx 30e3kx 73e2kx 50ekx  16k 2  528k 4 ekx
64

528k 4 e2kx 112k 4 e3kx  36k 2 e3kx 8  24k 4 e4kx 40k 4 =1 ekx 6 .
 S.A. El-Wakil, M.A. Abdou / Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 33 (2007) 513522 521

Appendix B

ekx 1
u0 : ; v0 :
1. e.5000000000kx
2
1 e.5kx
 1:5000000000kx 
2e 2.k 2 ekx  1.k 2 e1:5000000000kx t
u1 x; t : .5000000000 ;
1. e.5000000000kx 4
 
1.k 2 ekx k 2 e.5000000000kx 4.ekx t
v1 x; t : .2500000000 ;
1. e.500000000kx
3

u x; t : .06250000000t3  32.k 2 e2.kx 16.e2.kx 28.k 2 e1:5000000000kx
2

 33.k 4 e1:5000000000kx 4.k 2 e2:500000000kx 18.k 4 e2.kx


 1.k 4 e2:500000000kx 8.k 4 ekx =1. e.5000000000kx 6 ;

v2 x; t : .03125000000t3 k 4 e2.kx 16.e2.kx  8.k 2 e2.kx 11.k 4 ekx  11.k 4 e1:500000000kx

40.k 2 e1:500000000kx  1.k 4 e.5000000000kx  32.k 2 ekx  16.e1:500000000kx =1 e.5000000000kx 5 .

Appendix C

u1 x; t : .5000000000e1;t ; v1 x; t : .0004500000000et x2 ;
u2 x; t : .7500000000e1;t .0002250000000e1;t x2 .1250000000e1;t 2 ;
v2 x; t : .0002250000000e1;t x2 .3375000000  107 e1;t x4 ;
u3 x; t : 1:124550000e1;t .5937500000e2;t .0002250000000e1;t x2
.02083333333e3;t .0001125000000e2;t x2 .1687500000  107 e1;t x4 ;
v3 x; t : .0003375000000e1;t x2  .00005625000000e2;t x2
 .3375000000  107 e1;t x4 .1012500000  1011 e1;t x6 ;
ux; t : 1. 2:374550000e1;t .7187500000e2;t .0004500000000e1;t x2
.02083333333e3;t .0001125000000e2;t x2 .1687500000  107 e1;t x4 ;
vx; t : 1. e1;t  .0001125000000e1;t x2  .00005625000000e2;t x2 .10125000001011 e1;t x6 .

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