\documentclass[reqno]{amsart}
\usepackage{hyperref}

\AtBeginDocument{{\noindent\small
\emph{Electronic Journal of Differential Equations},
Vol. 2014 (2014), No. 235, pp. 1--10.\newline
ISSN: 1072-6691. URL: http://ejde.math.txstate.edu or http://ejde.math.unt.edu
\newline ftp ejde.math.txstate.edu}
\thanks{\copyright 2014 Texas State University - San Marcos.}
\vspace{9mm}}

\begin{document}
\title[\hfilneg EJDE-2014/235\hfil Entire solutions for an age-structured model]
{Entire solutions for a mono-stable delay population model in a 2D lattice strip}

\author[H.-Q. Zhao, S.-Y. Liu \hfil EJDE-2014/235\hfilneg]
{Hai-Qin Zhao, San-Yang Liu}  % in alphabetical order

\address{Hai-Qin Zhao \newline
School of Mathematics and Statistics,  Xidian University,
 Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China}
\email{hqzhao1981@hotmail.com}

\address{San-Yang Liu \newline
School of Mathematics and Statistics,  Xidian University,
 Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China}
\email{liusanyang@126.com}

\thanks{Submitted  April 23, 2014. Published November 4, 2014.}
\subjclass[2000]{34K25, 35R10, 92D25}
\keywords{Entire solution; traveling wave front;
\hfill\break\indent delay lattice differential equation;
age-structured population model}

\begin{abstract}
 This article concerns the entire solutions of a mono-stable age-structured
 population model in a 2D lattice strip.
 In a previous publication, we established the existence of entire solutions
 related to traveling wave solutions with speeds larger than the minimal wave speed
 $c_{\rm min}$.  However, the existence of entire solutions related to the minimal
 wave fronts remains open open question.
 In this article, we first establish a new comparison theorem.
 Then, applying the theorem we obtain the existence of entire solutions by
 mixing any finite number of traveling wave fronts with speeds $c\geq c_{\rm min}$,
 and a solution without the $j$ variable. In particular, we show the
 relationship between the entire solution and the traveling  wave fronts that
 they originate.
\end{abstract}

\maketitle
\numberwithin{equation}{section}
\newtheorem{theorem}{Theorem}[section]
\newtheorem{lemma}[theorem]{Lemma}
\newtheorem{proposition}[theorem]{Proposition}
\newtheorem{remark}[theorem]{Remark}
\newtheorem{definition}[theorem]{Definition}
\allowdisplaybreaks


\section{Introduction}

In this article, which may be regarded as a sequel to \cite{zhaowuliu},
 we consider the entire solutions of the
 following age-structured population model
in a 2-dimensional (2D) lattice strip  with Neumann boundary
conditions \cite{weng2,zhaowuliu},
\begin{equation}
\begin{gathered}
\begin{aligned}
\frac{du_{i,j}(t)}{dt}&=D_m\Delta u_{i,j}(t)-d_m u_{i,j}(t)    \\
&\quad +\mu \sum_{i_1=1}^N\sum_{j_1=-\infty}^{+\infty}
G(i,i_1,j ,j_1,\alpha)b\big(u_{i_1,j_1}(t-\tau)\big),
\end{aligned}   \\
 u_{0,j}(t)=u_{1,j}( t),\quad  u_{N,j}(t)=u_{N+1,j}(t),
\end{gathered} \label{eq1.1}
\end{equation}
where $i\in[1,N]_\mathbb{Z}:=\{1,\dots,N\}$,  $j\in\mathbb{Z}$,
$t\in\mathbb{R}$, $N$ is a positive integer,
\begin{equation}
\Delta u_{i,j}(t)= u_{i+1,j}( t)+u_{i-1,j}( t)
+u_{i,j+1}( t)+u_{i,j-1}( t)-4u_{i,j}(t);
\label{eq1.2}
 \end{equation}
 $u_{i,j}(t)$ is the density of the mature population of the species
at position $(i, j)$ and time  $t$;  $\tau > 0$ is the maturation time;
$D_m ,d_m > 0$  are the diffusion and death rates of mature individuals, respectively;
$b(\cdot)$ is the birth function which satisfies the following assumption:
\begin{itemize}
\item[(A1)]
$b\in C^2([0,K],\mathbb{R})$, $b(0)=\mu b(K)-d_mK=0$,
$\mu b(u)>d_mu$ and $b'(u)\leq b'(0)$ for $u\in(0,K)$, where $K>0$ is a constant,

\item[(A2)] $b'(u)\geq0$ for all $u\in[0,K]$.
\end{itemize}

Assume that there is a single species divided into juveniles and adults,
 which is distributed on the patches in a  2D lattice strip domain
$\Omega:=[1,N]_\mathbb{Z}\times \mathbb{Z}$ with the patches located
at the integer nodes $(i,j)\in \Omega$. The above model is derived to express
 the dynamics for the mature population of
the single species by Weng \cite{weng2} with the following coefficients:
\begin{gather*}
\mu=\exp\Big\{-\int_0^\tau d(z)dz\Big\},\quad
\alpha=\int_0^\tau D(z)dz,\\
G( i,i_1,j ,j_1,t)=G_1( i,i_1, t)\beta_t(j -j_1),\quad
\beta_t(k)=\frac{1}{2\pi}\int_{-\pi}^{\pi}e^{k\omega i-4t
\sin^2(\omega/2)}\,d\omega,
\end{gather*}
where  $i$ is the imaginary unit; $D(a)$ and $d(a)$ are the diffusion and death
rates of the juvenile population at
age $a$, $0<a<\tau$, respectively, and $  G_1( i,i_1, t)$ is the Green function
of the boundary-value problem
\begin{equation}
\begin{gathered}
\frac{dU_i( t)}{dt}=  U_{i+1}(t)+U_{i-1}(t)-2U_{i}(t),\quad i\in  [1,N]_\mathbb{Z},
\; t>0,\\
 U_0(t)=U_1(t),\quad U_N(t)=U_{N+1}(t),\quad t\geq0.
  \end{gathered} \label{eq1.3}
\end{equation}

Assuming  mono-stable and quasi-monotone conditions, Weng \cite{weng2}  obtained the
spreading speed and its coincidence with the minimal speed of monotone traveling
waves by employing the theory of spreading speed  and   traveling waves for monotone
semiflows developed by Liang and Zhao \cite{lz}.
The study of the traveling wave  solutions and spreading speed are important
in population dynamics. They can describe certain dynamical behavior of the
studied problem such as \eqref{eq1.1}. However, the dynamics
of delayed lattice differential equations is so rich that there might be other
interesting patterns. Recently,  quite a few   entire solutions have been found
in many problems, see e.g. \cite{Guom,Hameln1,Liliuwang,Liwangwu,Wang7,wushiyang,wuhsu1,wuwang,wu}.
Here an entire solution is meant by a classical solution defined for all space
and  time. It is obvious that traveling wave  solutions are special examples
of the entire solutions.

Recently, in \cite{zhaowuliu}, we constructed some new types of entire solutions
 which are different from traveling wave fronts for \eqref{eq1.1}  by
considering a combination of traveling wave fronts  coming from opposite sides of the
$j$-axis with speeds  $c> c_{\rm min}$ and a solution of \eqref{eq1.1} without $j $
variable.
The basic idea in \cite{zhaowuliu}, similar to \cite{Hameln1}, is to use traveling
wave fronts and their  exponential decay at $-\infty$ to build subsolutions and
upper estimates, respectively, and then prove the existence results by employing
comparison principle.
  However, the issue of the existence of entire solution for \eqref{eq1.1}
connecting traveling wave  fronts  with minimal wave speed $c_{\rm min}$ is still open.
Resolving this issue represents a main contribution of our current study.

More precisely, in this paper, we continue to consider the entire solutions
of \eqref{eq1.1}. Since the decay of the minimal wave front at $-\infty$ is not
exponential, we can not apply directly the method in \cite{Hameln1,zhaowuliu}
to construct appropriate upper estimates.  To overcome this difficulty,
we first establish a new comparison theorem (see Lemma \ref{lem3.1}) based on a
concavity assumption of the birth function $b$. Then, applying  the comparison
theorem, we establish an appropriate upper estimate (supersolution)
(see Lemma \ref{lem3.2}) and construct some  new types of entire solutions by mixing
any number of traveling wave fronts coming from opposite sides of the
 $j$-axis with speeds  $c\geq c_{\rm min}$ and a solution of \eqref{eq1.1} without
$j $ variable (see Theorem \ref{thm3.3}). Various qualitative features of the
entire solutions are also investigated (see Theorem \ref{thm3.4}).
In particular, we show the relationship between the entire solution and the
traveling  wave fronts which they originated.

It should be mention that, in \cite{zhaowuliu}, we  also established the
existence of entire solutions of \eqref{eq1.1} connecting the
traveling wave solutions with speeds $c> c_{\rm min}$ when the quasi-monotone
condition does not hold.  The main idea is to introduce two  auxiliary
quasi-monotone equations and establish a comparison argument for the Cauchy problems
of the three systems. For the case where the quasi-monotone condition does not hold,
we can apply the similar argument as in the proof of Theorem \ref{thm3.3} to obtain
the existence of entire solutions of \eqref{eq1.1} connecting traveling wave
solutions with  speeds  $c\geq c_{\rm min}$. We leave the details
to the readers.

The rest of the paper is organized as follows.
In Section 2, we give some preliminaries.
In Section 3, we  establish the existence of  entire solutions  of \eqref{eq1.1}.
Various qualitative features of the entire solutions are also investigated.


\section{Preliminaries}

We first recall some known results on traveling wave fronts and solutions of
\eqref{eq1.1} without $j $ variable. Then, we state  the well-posedness of initial
value problem of \eqref{eq1.1}, and establish some comparison theorems.

A traveling wave solution of \eqref{eq1.1}  refers to a solution with the form
$u_{i,j}(t) = \Phi_c(i, j +ct)$, where $c>0$ is the wave speed.
Letting $\xi=j+ct$, then the profile function of traveling wave solution satisfies
the  equation
\begin{equation}
\begin{gathered}
\begin{aligned}
  c \frac{d}{d\xi}\Phi_c(i, \xi)
&=D_m[ \Phi_c(i+1, \xi)+\Phi_c(i-1, \xi) -2\Phi_c(i, \xi)]    \\
& \quad +  D_m[  \Phi_c(i, \xi+1)+\Phi_c(i, \xi-1)-2\Phi_c(i, \xi)]
 -d_m\Phi_c(i, \xi)  \\
&\quad  +\mu \sum_{i_1=1}^N\sum_{j_1=-\infty}^{+\infty}
G_1( i,i_1, \alpha)\beta_\alpha(j_1)b\big( \Phi_c(i_1, \xi-j_1-c\tau)\big),
\end{aligned}  \\
\Phi_c(0, \xi)=\Phi_c(1, \xi),\quad  \Phi_c(N, \xi)=\Phi_c(N+1, \xi),
\end{gathered}
\label{eq2.1}
\end{equation}
where  $i\in [1,N]_\mathbb{Z}$ and $\xi\in\mathbb{R}$. The characteristic
problem for \eqref{eq2.1}  with respect to the trivial equilibrium is
\begin{equation}
\begin{gathered}
\begin{aligned}
M(\lambda)v_i
&=D_m[ v_{i+1} +v_{i-1} -2v_{i}  ]+[2D_m(\cosh \lambda -1)-d_m] v_{i}     \\
&\quad +\mu b'(0)e^{- M(\lambda)\tau}e^{2\alpha (\cosh \lambda -1)}
 \sum_{i_1=1}^NG_1(i,i_1,\alpha)v_{i_1} ,\\
& i\in [1,N]_\mathbb{Z},\; \lambda\in\mathbb{R},
\end{aligned}  \\
 v_{0} =v_{1} ,\quad  v_{N} =v_{N+1} .
\end{gathered} \label{eq2.2}
\end{equation}
From Weng \cite{weng2}, we see that:
(i) \eqref{eq2.2} has a positive principal eigenvalue $M(\lambda)$ with strictly
 positive eigenfunction $v(\lambda)=\{v_i(\lambda)\}_{ i\in [1,N]_\mathbb{Z} }$;
(ii) there exist $c_{\rm min}>0$ and $\lambda_*>0$ such that
$$
c_{\rm min}=\frac{M(\lambda_*)}{\lambda_*}
=\inf_{\lambda>0}\frac{M(\lambda)}{\lambda},
$$
and for any $c>c_{\rm min}$,
there exists a unique $\lambda_1:=\lambda_1(c)\in(0,\lambda_*)$ such that
$M(\lambda_1) =c \lambda_1$, and
$M(\lambda)<c \lambda$ for any $\lambda\in(\lambda_1,\lambda_*)$. Moreover,
the following result holds, see \cite[Proposition 3.1]{zhaowuliu}.

\begin{proposition}\label{Pro2.1}
Assume {\rm(A1)--(A2)} hold. For each $c\geq c_{\rm min}$, system \eqref{eq1.1}
has a  non-decreasing traveling wave solution $\Phi_c(i, j +ct)$ which satisfies
$\Phi_c(i, -\infty)=0$ and $\Phi_c(i, +\infty)=K$.
Moreover, if $c>c_{\rm min}$, then
\begin{gather*}
\Phi_c'(i, \xi)>0,\quad
\lim_{\xi\to-\infty}\Phi_c(i, \xi)e^{-\lambda_1(c)\xi}= v_i(\lambda_1(c)),\quad
 \Phi_c(i, \xi)\leq e^{\lambda_1(c)\xi}v_i(\lambda_1(c))
\end{gather*}
for all $i\in [1,N]_\mathbb{Z}$ and $\xi\in\mathbb{R}$.
\end{proposition}

Next, we  consider the existence and asymptotic behavior of solutions of
\eqref{eq1.1} without $j $ variable;
that is, solutions of the  problem
\begin{equation}
\begin{gathered}
\begin{aligned}
 \frac{d\Gamma_{i}(t)}{dt}
&=D_m[ \Gamma_{i+1}(t)+\Gamma_{i-1}(t)-2\Gamma_{i}(t)]-d_m \Gamma_{i}(t)    \\
&\quad +\mu \sum_{i_1=1}^NG_1(i,i_1,\alpha)b\big(\Gamma_{i_1}(t-\tau)\big), \quad
 i\in [1,N]_\mathbb{Z},t\in\mathbb{R},
\end{aligned} \\
 \Gamma_{0}(t)=\Gamma_{1}( t),\quad \Gamma_{N}(t)=\Gamma_{N+1}(t),\quad
 t\in\mathbb{R}.
    \end{gathered} \label{eq2.3}
\end{equation}
The characteristic problem for \eqref{eq2.3}  with respect to the trivial
equilibrium is
\begin{equation}
\begin{gathered}
\begin{aligned}
 \varsigma v_i &=D_m[ v_{i+1} +v_{i-1} -2v_{i}  ]-d_m v_{i}     \\
&\quad  +\mu b'(0)e^{- \varsigma\tau} \sum_{i_1=1}^NG_1(i,i_1,\alpha)v_{i_1} ,
\quad i\in [1,N]_\mathbb{Z} ,
\end{aligned}  \\
 v_{0} =v_{1},\quad  v_{N} =v_{N+1} .
\end{gathered} \label{eq2.4}
\end{equation}
Following \cite{weng2,zhaowuliu}, Equation \eqref{eq2.4} has a positive principal
eigenvalue $\lambda^*$ with strictly positive eigenfunction
$v^*=\{v^*_i\}_{ i\in [1,N]_\mathbb{Z} }$ and the following result holds.

\begin{proposition}\label{Pro2.2}
Assume {\rm (A1), (A2)} hold. Then there exists a solution
 $\Gamma(t)=\{\Gamma_i(t)\}_{i\in[1,N]_\mathbb{Z}}$ of \eqref{eq2.3} such that
$\Gamma_i(-\infty)=0$ and $\Gamma_i(+\infty)=K$ for $i\in [1,N]_\mathbb{Z}$. Moreover
\[
\lim_{t\to-\infty}\Gamma_i(t)e^{-\lambda^*t}=v^*_i ,
\quad \Gamma'_i(t)>0, \quad \Gamma_i(t)\leq e^{\lambda^*t}v^*_i,
\quad\text{for  } i\in [1,N]_\mathbb{Z}, \; t\in\mathbb{R}.
\]
\end{proposition}

We now consider the initial value problem of \eqref{eq1.1} with initial condition
\begin{align}\label{eq2.5}
u_{i,j}(s)=\varphi_{i,j}(s), \quad (i,j)\in \Omega,s\in[ r-\tau,r],
\end{align}
where $r\in\mathbb{R}$ is an any given constant.
For convenience, we introduce some notation.

(1)  Let  $ X:= \big\{ \phi:\Omega\to\mathbb{R}:\{\phi_{i,j}\}_{(i,j)\in \Omega}
\text{ is bounded} \big\}$,
$X^+:= \big\{ \phi\in X: \phi_{i,j}\geq0\text{ for } (i,j)\in \Omega\big\}$ and
$X_{[0,K]}:= \big\{ \phi\in X: \phi_{i,j}\in [0,K]\text{ for } (i,j)\in \Omega\big\}$.
 It is obvious that $X^+$ is a closed cone of $X$ under the partial ordering induced
by $X^+$.  Moreover, we denote
\[
T (t)[\phi](i,j):=  e^{-d_mt}\sum_{i_1=1}^N\sum_{j_1
=-\infty}^{+\infty}G(i,i_1,j ,j_1,D_mt)\phi_{i_1,j_1}, \quad \forall\phi  \in X,\; t>0.
\]
 We equip $X^+$ with a compact open topology and define the norm
$$
\|\phi\|_X= \sum_{k=0}^\infty \frac{ \max_{i\in  [1,N]_\mathbb{Z},|j|\leq k}
|  \phi_{i,j}| }{2^k}   .
$$
It is clear that $(X,\|\cdot\|_X)$ is a normed space.
Let $d(\cdot,\cdot)$ be the metric on $X$ induced by the norm $\|\cdot\|_X$.
Then $X$ is a Banach lattice, and $T(t):X\to X$ is a linear $C_0$-semigroup with
$T(t)X^+\subseteq X^+$ for $t>0$.

(2) Let   $\mathcal{C}:=C([-\tau,0],X)$  be the Banach space of continuous functions
from $[-\tau,0]$ into $X$ with the supremum norm and
$\mathcal{C}^+:=\{  \phi\in \mathcal{C}:\phi (s)\in X^+, s\in [-\tau,0]\}$.
Then $\mathcal{C}^+$
is a closed (positive) cone of $\mathcal{C}$. Moreover, we denote
$$
\mathcal{C }_{[0,K]}:=\{ \varphi\in \mathcal{C }: \varphi_{i,j}(s)\in [0,K],
\forall (i,j)\in \Omega, s\in [-\tau,0]\}.
$$
  As usual, we identify an element $\varphi \in \mathcal{C }$ as a function
from $\Omega\times[-\tau,0]$  into $\mathbb{R}$ defined by
$\varphi(i,j,s)=\varphi_{i,j}(s)$. For any continuous function
$w:[-\tau,b)\to X$, $b>0$, we define $w_t\in \mathcal{C }$,
$t\in[0,b)$ by $w_t(s)=w(t+s)$, $s\in [-\tau,0]$. Then $t
\to w_t$ is a continuous function from $[0, b)$ to $\mathcal{C }$.
 For any $\varphi \in \mathcal{C }_{[0,K]}$, define
\begin{align*}
F(\varphi)(i,j):=\mu \sum_{i_1=1}^N
\sum_{j_1=-\infty}^{+\infty}G(i,i_1,j ,j_1,\alpha)b\big(\varphi_{i_1,j_1}(-\tau)\big).
\end{align*}
Then $F(\varphi)\in X$ and $F: \mathcal{C }_{[0,K]}\to X$ is globally
Lipschitz continuous.

The definitions of supersolution and subsolution are given as follows.

\begin{definition}\label{def2.3} \rm
A continuous function $v: [-\tau,b)\to X$, $b>0$,  is called a
supersolution (or subsolution)  of \eqref{eq1.1} on $[0,b)$ if for all $0\leq s<t<b$,
\begin{equation}
v(t)\geq (or \leq)  T (t-s) [v(s)]+   \int_s^t  T  (t-\theta)[F(v_\theta)] d\theta.
\label{eq2.6}
\end{equation}
\end{definition}


The following results follow from \cite[Lemmas 3.1 and 3.3]{weng2} and
\cite[Lemma 3.5]{zhaowuliu}.

\begin{proposition}\label{Pro2.4}
 Assume {\rm (A1)--(A2)} hold. Then the following statements hold.

(1) For any $\varphi\in\mathcal{C }_{[0,K]}$, there exists a  unique solution
$u(t;\varphi)=\big\{u_{i,j}(t;\varphi)\big\}_{(i,j)\in \Omega}$ of  \eqref{eq1.1}
on $[r,+\infty)$ such that $u_{i,j}(s;\varphi)=\varphi_{i,j}(s)$ and
$0\leq u_{i,j}(t;\varphi)\leq  K$ for $(i,j)\in \Omega$, $s\in[ r-\tau,r]$ and
$t\geq r$. Moreover,  there exists a positive constant $M$, independent of $\varphi$
and $r$, such that
\[
 \big|u_{i,j}'(t;\varphi)\big|\leq M,\quad
\big|u_{i,j}''(t;\varphi)\big|\leq M \quad\text{for any }
(i,j)\in \Omega,\; t>r+\tau.
\]

(2)  Let $\big\{u_{i,j}^+(t )\big\}_{(i,j)\in \Omega }$ and
$\big\{u_{i,j}^-(t )\big\}_{(i,j)\in \Omega }$ be a supersolution and subsolution
of \eqref{eq1.1} on $[r,+\infty)$ respectively.
If $u_{i,j}^+(s )\geq u_{i,j}^-(s )$ for $(i,j)\in \Omega$ and $s\in[ r-\tau,r]$,
then $u_{i,j}^+(t )\geq u_{i,j}^-(t )$ for $(i,j)\in \Omega$ and $t\geq r$.
 If, in addition, $u_{i,j}^+(0 )\not\equiv u_{i,j}^-(0 )$, then $u_{i,j}^+(t )>
u_{i,j}^-(t )$ for $(i,j)\in \Omega$ and $t>r$.
\end{proposition}

\section{Existence of entire solutions}


In this section, we establish the existence of entire solutions by mixing any
finite number of traveling wave fronts with speeds $c\geq c_{\rm min}$ and
a solution without $j $ variable. In particular, we show the relationship
between the entire solution and the traveling  wave fronts which they originated.

We first establish a comparison theorem. For this, we need the
concavity assumption of the function $b$:
\begin{itemize}
 \item[(A3)] $ b''(u)\leq0 $ for $u\in[0,K]$.
\end{itemize}

 \begin{lemma}\label{lem3.1}
Assume {\rm (A1)--(A3)}.
Let $\varphi^{(k)},\varphi\in \mathcal{C}_{[0, K ]}$, $k=1,\dots,m$,
be $m+1$ given functions with
\[
\varphi_{i,j}(s)\leq \sum_{k=1}^m \varphi_{i,j}^{(k)}(s) \quad
\text{for }  (i,j)\in \Omega , s\in[-\tau,0].
\]
Let $u^{(k)}$  and $u$  be the solutions of  Cauchy problems of
\eqref{eq1.1} with the initial values:
\begin{equation} \label{eq3.1}
u_{i,j}^{(k)}(s) =\varphi_{i,j}^{(k)}(s)\quad
u_{i,j}(s)=\varphi_{i,j}(s),\quad (i,j)\in \Omega,\; s\in[-\tau,0],
\end{equation}
respectively. Then
\[
0\leq u_{i,j}(t)\leq \min\big\{ K ,\sum_{k=1}^m u_{i,j}^{(k)}(t)\big\}
\]
for all $(i,j)\in \Omega$ and  $t\geq0$.
\end{lemma}

\begin{proof}
Set $\Pi(t)=\{\Pi _{i,j}(t)\}_{(i,j)\in \Omega}$ and
$Z(t)=\{Z_{i,j}(t)\}_{(i,j)\in \Omega}$, where
\[
\Pi _{i,j}(t)=\sum_{k=1}^m u_{i,j}^{(k)}(t),\quad
Z_{i,j}(t):=\min\big\{ K ,\Pi _{i,j}(t)\big\}\]
for $(i,j)\in \Omega$, $t\geq-\tau$.
Then $u_{i,j}(s)\leq Z_{i,j}(s)$ for $ (i,j)\in \Omega$ and
$s\in[-\tau,0]$. By Proposition \ref{Pro2.4}, it suffices to show that $Z(t)$
is a supersolution of  \eqref{eq1.1}, i.e.
\begin{equation} \label{eq3.3}
Z(t)\geq  T(t-s)[Z(s)]+\int_s^tT(t-r)[F(Z_r)]dr\quad \text{for any }
 0\leq s<t<+\infty.
\end{equation}
Since $ b'(u)\geq0$ for $u\in[0,K]$, it is easy to see that
\begin{equation} \label{eq3.4}
  T(t-s)[Z(s)]+\int_s^tT(t-r)[F(Z_r)]dr \leq K\quad \text{for }0\leq s<t<+\infty.
\end{equation}
Now, we show that
\begin{equation} \label{eq3.5}
 T(t-s)[Z(s)]+\int_s^tT(t-r)[F(Z_r)]dr \leq \Pi  (t)\quad
 \text{for }0\leq s<t<+\infty.
\end{equation}
 First, we show that for any $ u_k\in(0,K]$, $k=1,\dots,m$,
\begin{equation}
b(\min\{K,u_1+\dots+u_m\})\leq b(u_1)+\dots+b(u_m).  \label{eq3.6}
\end{equation}
For $m=1$, \eqref{eq3.6} holds obviously. For $m=2$,  we consider the following
two cases:
(i) $u_1+u_2 > K $  and   (ii) $u_1+u_2 \leq K $.

For case (i), using the concavity of  the function $b$  again, we obtain
\[
\frac{b(K)-b(u_1)}{K-u_1 }\leq \frac{b(u_1)}{u_1},\quad
\frac{b(K)-b(u_2)}{K-u_2}\leq \frac{b(u_2)}{u_2},
\]
which implies that
$u_1b(K)\leq Kb(u_1)$  and $u_2b(K)\leq Kb(u_2)$.
Thus, we have
$$
(u_1+u_2)b(K)\leq K (b(u_1)+b(u_2))\leq (u_1+u_2)(b(u_1)+b(u_2))
$$
and hence,
$$
b(\min\{K,u_1+u_2\})=b(K)\leq b(u_1)+b(u_2).
$$

The case (ii) can be considered similarly.
Using mathematical induction, we can show that \eqref{eq3.6} holds.
 By \eqref{eq3.6}, it is easy to verify that  \eqref{eq3.5} holds.
Therefore, $Z(t)$ is a supersolution of  \eqref{eq1.1} and the assertion of
this lemma follows from   Proposition \ref{Pro2.4}.
\end{proof}

For any $m,n\in {\mathbb N}\cup\{0\}$,
$\theta_1,\dots,\theta_m, \theta_1',\dots,\theta_n',\theta\in\mathbb{R}$,
$c_1 ,\dots,c_m,c_1' ,\dots,c_n' \geq c_{\rm min}$ and
$\chi \in\{0,1\}$ with $m+n+\chi\geq2$,  we denote
\begin{align*}
\varphi_{i,j}^n(s):= \max\Big\{&\max_{1\leq l\leq m}\Phi_{c_l}(i, j
+c_ls+\theta_l\big), \max_{1\leq k\leq n}\Phi_{c_k'}(i, -j +c_k's
 +\theta_k'\big),\\
&\chi \Gamma_i(s+\theta)\Big\},\\
\underline{u}_{i,j} (t):= \max\Big\{&\max_{1\leq l\leq m}\Phi_{c_l}(i,
j +c_lt+\theta_l\big), \max_{1\leq k\leq n}\Phi_{c_k'}(i, -j +c_k't+\theta_k'\big),\\
& \chi \Gamma_i(t+\theta)\Big\},
\end{align*}
where $(i,j)\in \Omega$, $s\in[-n-\tau,-n]$ and $t>-n$.
Let $U ^n(t)=\{U_{i,j}^n(t)\}_{(i,j)\in \Omega}$ be the unique solution
of \eqref{eq1.1} with the initial data
\begin{equation}
 U_{i,j}^n(s) =\varphi_{i,j}^n(s),\quad (i,j)\in \Omega,\; s\in[-n-\tau,-n].
 \label{eq3.7}
  \end{equation}
By Proposition \ref{Pro2.4}, we have
\[
\underline{u}_{i,j} (t)\leq U_{i,j}^n(t) \leq K
\quad\text{for all }(i,j)\in \Omega,\; t\geq-n.
\]

Applying the comparison lemma \ref{lem3.1}, we obtain the following result
which provides the appropriate upper estimate of $U ^n(t)$.

\begin{lemma}\label{lem3.2}
Assume {\rm (A1)--(A3)}.
The function $U ^n(t)=\{U_{i,j}^n(t)\}_{(i,j)\in \Omega}$  satisfies
$$
 U_{i,j}^n(t) \leq  \overline{U}_{i,j}(t):=\min\big\{ K,\Pi(i,j ,t)\big\}
$$
for any $(i,j)\in \Omega$ and $t\geq-n$, where
\[
\Pi(i,j ,t)=\sum_{l=1} ^{m}\Phi_{c_l}(i, j +c_lt+\theta_l\big)
+\sum_{k=1} ^{n} \Phi_{c_k'}(i, -j +c_k't+\theta_k'\big)+ \chi \Gamma_i(t+\theta).
\]
\end{lemma}

\begin{proof}
It is clear that $ U_{i,j}^n(s) =\varphi_{i,j}^n(s)\leq \Pi(i,j ,s)$ for
$(i,j)\in \Omega,s\in[-n-\tau,-n]$,
and the assertion of this lemma follows directly from Lemma \ref{lem3.1}.
\end{proof}

Following the priori estimate of Proposition \ref{Pro2.4} and upper estimates
of Lemma \ref{lem3.2}, we can obtain the following existence result.
In the next theorems,
 we say that a sequence of functions
$\Psi_p(t)=\{\Psi_{i,j;p}(t)\}_{(i,j)\in \Omega}$ converges to a function
$\Psi_{p_0}(t)=\{\Psi_{i,j;p_0}(t)\}_{(i,j)\in \Omega}$ in the sense of topology
 ${\mathcal T}$ if, for any compact set
$S\subset\Omega\times{\mathbb R}$, the functions
$\Psi_{i,j;p}(t)$ and $\Psi_{i,j;p}^\prime(t)$ converge uniformly in $S$ to
$\Psi_{i,j;p_0}(t)$ and $\Psi^\prime_{i,j;p_0}(t)$ respectively as $p$
tends to $p_0$.

\begin{theorem}\label{thm3.3}
  Assume {\rm (A1), (A2)} hold. For any $m,n\in {\mathbb N}\cup\{0\}$,
$\theta_1,\dots,\theta_m$, $\theta_1',\dots,\theta_n'$,
$\theta\in\mathbb{R}$, $c_1 ,\dots,c_m,c_1' ,\dots,c_n' \geq c_{\rm min}$ and
$\chi \in\{0,1\}$ with $m+n+\chi\geq2$, there exists an entire solution
$U_p(t)=\big\{U_{i,j;p}(t)\big\}_{(i,j)\in \Omega}$
of \eqref{eq1.1} such that
 \begin{equation} \label{eq3.8}
 \underline{u} _{i,j}(t) \leq U_{i,j;p}(t)\leq K
\quad\text{for all }(i,j,t)\in \Omega\times \mathbb{R},
\end{equation}
 where
 $p:=p_{m,n,\chi }=\big( c_1,\theta_1,  \dots,c_m, \theta_m, c_1',\theta_1',
\dots,c_n',  \theta_n',  \chi \theta\big)$. Furthermore,
 the following properties hold.
\begin{itemize}
\item[(i)]  $0< U_{i,j;p}(t)<K$ and  $ \frac{d}{d t}U_{i,j;p}(t)>0$  for any
$(i,j,t)\in \Omega\times \mathbb{R}$.

\item[(ii)]  If {\rm (A3)}  holds, then
 $U_{i,j;p}(x,t)\le\overline{U}_{i,j}(t)$  for any
$(i,j,t)\in \Omega\times \mathbb{R}$.

\item[(iii)]
For any $\gamma\in\mathbb{R}$, $U_{i,j;p_{m,n,1}}(t)$ converges to
 $U_{i,j;p_{m,n,0}}(t)$ as $\theta\to-\infty$ in $ \mathcal{T}$,
and uniformly on $(i,j,t)\in T_{\gamma}=[1,N]_\mathbb{Z}
\times{\mathbb Z}\times (-\infty,\gamma]$.
 \end{itemize}
\end{theorem}

\begin{proof}
By  Proposition \ref{Pro2.4}, we have
\begin{equation} \label{eq3.10}
\underline{u} _{i,j}(t) \leq
U^n_{i,j}(t)  \leq U_{i,j}^{n+1}(t) \leq K\quad
\text{for all }(i,j)\in \Omega\text{ and }t\geq-n.
\end{equation}
Thus, from the priori estimate of  Proposition \ref{Pro2.4}, there exists
a function $U_p(t)=\big\{U_{i,j;p}(t)\big\}_{(i,j)\in \Omega}$
 such that $\lim_{n\to+\infty} U^n_{i,j}(t)= U_{i,j; p}(t)$.
It is clear that $U_p(t)$ is an entire solution of \eqref{eq1.1}.
Also, \eqref{eq3.8} follows from \eqref{eq3.10}.
Moreover, by  Lemma  \ref{lem3.2}, the assertion of part (ii)  holds.
The proof of assertion of part (i) is similar to that of
\cite[Theorem 3.9]{zhaowuliu} and is omitted. We only prove the assertion
of part (iii).

 (iii) For $\chi =0$,  we denote
\begin{gather*}
 \varphi^n(s)=\{\varphi^n_{i,j}(s)\}_{(i,j)\in{\Omega}}\text{ by }
\varphi_{p_{m,n,0}}^n(s)=\{\varphi^n_{i,j;p_{m,n,0}}(s)\}_{(i,j)\in{\Omega}},\\
U^n(t)=\{U_{i,j}^n(t)\}_{n\in {\mathbb Z}}\text{ by }
U_{p_{m,n,0}}^n(t)=\{U_{i,j;p_{m,n,0}}^n(t)\}_{(i,j)\in{\Omega}}.
\end{gather*}
Similarly, for $\chi =1$,
we denote $\varphi^n(s)$ by $\varphi_{p_{m,n,1}}^n(s)$ and $U ^n(t)$ by
$U_{p_{m,n,1}}^n(t)$.
Let
$$
W^n(t)=\{ W_{i,j}^n(t)\}_{n\in \mathbb{Z}}
:=U^n_{p_{m,n,1}}(t)-U _{p_{m,n,0}}^n(t),\quad (i,j)\in{\Omega},\; t\geq-n-\tau.
$$
Then $0\leq  W_{i,j}^n(t)\leq K$ for all $(i,j,t)\in\Omega\times[-n,+\infty)$.
Moreover, by the assumption $b'(u)\leq b'(0)$ for $u\in[0,K]$, we have
\begin{gather*}
 \begin{aligned}
 \frac{d W_{i,j}^n(t)}{dt}
&\leq D_m\Delta  W_{i,j}^n(t)-d_m  W_{i,j}^n(t)    \\
&\quad +\mu b'(0) \sum_{i_1=1}^N\sum_{j_1=-\infty}^{+\infty}
G(i,i_1,j ,j_1,\alpha)W_{i_1,j_1}^n(t-\tau),\quad  (i,j)\in \Omega, t>-n,
\end{aligned}  \\
 W_{0,j}^n(t)= W_{1,j}^n( t),\quad
 W_{N,j}^n(t)= W_{N+1,j}^n(t),\quad j\in\mathbb{Z},\; t\geq -n.
\end{gather*}
Let us define the function
$$
\widehat{W}(t)=\big\{\widehat{W} _{i,j}(t)\big\}_{(i,j)\in{\Omega}}
=\big\{ e^{\lambda^*(t+\theta)}v^*_i\big\}_{(i,j)\in{\Omega}}.
$$
By Proposition \ref{Pro2.2}, we have
\[
W_{i,j} ^n(s)=\varphi_{i,j;p_{m,n,1}}^n(s)-\varphi_{i,j;p_{m,n,0}}^n(s)
 \leq\Gamma_i(s+\theta)
\leq e^{\lambda^*(s+\theta)}v^*_i=\widehat{W} _{i,j} (s)
\]
for $(i,j)\in \Omega$, $s\in[-n-\tau,-n]$. Moreover, it is easy to verify
that $\widehat{W}(t)$ satisfies the linear system
\begin{gather*}
\begin{aligned}
 \frac{d\widehat{W} _{i,j} (t)}{dt}
&= D_m\Delta \widehat{W} _{i,j} (t)-d_m \widehat{W} _{i,j} (t)    \\
&\quad \quad +\mu b'(0) \sum_{i_1=1}^N \sum_{j_1=-\infty}^{+\infty}G(i,i_1,j ,j_1,
\alpha) \widehat{W}_{i_1,j_1} (t-\tau),\quad  (i,j)\in \Omega, t>-n,
\end{aligned}  \\
 \widehat{W}_{0,j} (t)= \widehat{W}_{1,j} ( t),\quad
 \widehat{W}_{N,j} (t)= \widehat{W}_{N+1,j} (t),\quad j\in\mathbb{Z},\; t\geq -n.
\end{gather*}
It then follows from Proposition \ref{Pro2.4} that
\[
0\leq   W_{i,j}^n(t)\leq e^{\lambda^*(t+\theta)}v^*_i\quad
\text{for all }(i,j,t)\in\Omega\times[-n,+\infty).
\]
Since $\lim_{n\to+\infty} U^n_{i,j;p_{m,n,k}}(t)= U_{i,j; p_{m,n,k}}(t)$, $k=0,1$,
we obtain
\[
0\leq U_{i,j;p_{m,n,1}}(t)-U_{i,j;p_{m,n,0}}(t)
\leq e^{\lambda^*(t+\theta)}v^*_i
\leq e^{\lambda^*(t+\theta)}\max_{i\in[1,N]_\mathbb{Z}}v^*_i
\]
for all $(i,j,t)\in \Omega\times\mathbb{R}$, which implies that
$U_{p_{m,n,1}}(t)$ converges to $U_{p_{m,n,0}}(t)$ as $\theta\to-\infty$
uniformly on $(i,j,t)\in T_{\gamma}$ for any  $\gamma\in\mathbb{R}$.

For any sequence $\theta^\ell$ with $\theta^\ell\to-\infty$
as $\ell\to+\infty$, the functions $U_{p_{m,n,1}^\ell}(t) $
(where $p_{m,n,1}^\ell:=( c_1,\theta_1,  \dots,c_m, \theta_m, c_1',\theta_1',
\dots,c_n',  \theta_n',  \theta^\ell))$ converge to a solution of \eqref{eq1.1}
(up to extraction of some subsequence) in the sense of topology $\mathcal{T}$,
 which turns out to be $U_{p_{m,n,0}}(t)$. The limit does not depend on the
sequence $\theta^{\ell}$,
whence all of the functions $U_{p_{m,n,1}}(t)$ converge to $U_{p_{m,n,0}}(t)$
in the sense of topology $\mathcal{T}$ as $\theta\to-\infty$.
 The proof is complete.
\end{proof}

In the following theorem, we show the relationship between the entire solution
$U_p(t) $ and the traveling wave fronts which they originate.

\begin{theorem}\label{thm3.4}
Let {\rm (A1), (A2)} hold and $U_p(t) $ be the entire solution of \eqref{eq1.1}
stated in  Theorem \ref{thm3.3}. Then for any $c\geq c_{\rm min}$, the
following properties hold:
\begin{itemize}
 \item[(i)]
 \begin{itemize}
\item[(a)]  if  {\rm (A3)} holds and  there exists $l_0\in\{1,\dots,m\}$
such that  $c_{l_0}=c$ and  $c_l>c $ for any $l\neq {l_0}$, then
$U_{i,j-c t;p}(t)\to\Phi_{c_{l_0}}\big(i, j  +\theta_{l_0}\big)$ as
$t\to-\infty$ with $j-c t\in\mathbb{Z}$;

 \item[(b)]  if {\rm (A3)} holds and there exists $k_0\in\{1,\dots,n\}$
such that $c_{k_0}'=c$ and  $c_k'>c $ for any $k\neq {k_0}$, then
$U_{i,j+c t;p}(t)\to\Phi_{c_{k_0}'}\big(i, j  +\theta_{k_0}'\big)$ as
$t\to-\infty$ with   $j+ct\in\mathbb{Z}$;

 \item[(c)] if {\rm (A3)} holds and $c_l>c$ for all $l\in\{1,\dots,m\}$,
then $U_{i,j-ct;p}(t)\to0$ as $t\to-\infty$ with   $j-ct\in\mathbb{Z}$;
and  if $c_k'>c$ for all $k\in\{1,\dots,n\}$, then $U_{i,j+ct;p}(t)\to0$
as $t\to-\infty$ with   $j+ct\in\mathbb{Z}$;

  \item[(d)] if there exists $l_0\in\{1,\dots,m\}$ such that $c_{l_0}<c$,
 then  $U_{i,j-ct;p}(t)\to K$ as $t\to-\infty$ with   $j-ct\in\mathbb{Z}$;
 and if there exists $k_0\in\{1,\dots,n\}$ such that $c_{k_0}'<c$, then
$U_{i,j+ct;p}(t)\to K$ as $t\to-\infty$ with   $j+ct\in\mathbb{Z}$.
\end{itemize}

 \item[(ii)]
   if there exists $l_0\in\{1,\dots,m\}$ such that $c_{l_0}>c$, then
$U_{i,j-ct;p}(t)\to K$ as $t\to+\infty$ with   $j-ct\in\mathbb{Z}$;
 and if there exists $k_0\in\{1,\dots,n\}$ such that $c_{k_0}'>c$,
then $U_{i,j+ct;p}(t)\to K$ as $t\to+\infty$ with   $j+ct\in\mathbb{Z}$.
 \end{itemize}
All the above convergence hold in $ \mathcal{T}$.
\end{theorem}

\begin{proof}
  (i)  We only prove the statements (a) and (d), since the others can be proved
similarly. From \eqref{eq3.8} and assertion (ii)  of Theorem \ref{thm3.3}, we have
\begin{align*}
0&\le U_{i,j-c_{l_0}t;p}(t)-\Phi_{c_{l_0}}\big(i, j  +\theta_{l_0}\big)\\
&\le   \sum_{1\leq l\leq m,l\neq {l_0}}\Phi_{c_l}
 \big(i, j +(c_l-c_{l_0})t+\theta_l\big)\\
&\quad +\sum_{k=1} ^{n} \Phi_{c_k}(i, -j +(c_k'+c_{l_0})t+\theta_k'\big)
+ \chi \Gamma_i(t+\theta),
\end{align*}
for all $(i,j,t)\in \Omega\times \mathbb{R}$ with $j-c_{l_0} t\in\mathbb{Z}$.
By our assumption, we conclude that
$U_{i,j-c_{l_0}t;p}(t)\to\Phi_{c_{l_0}}\big(i, j  +\theta_{l_0}\big)$ locally in
$j$ as $t\to-\infty$ with $j-c_{l_0} t\in\mathbb{Z}$.
Moreover, by  Proposition \ref{Pro2.4}, the convergence also takes place in
$\mathcal{T}$.

 Now, we prove the statement (d). Suppose that there exists $l_0\in\{1,\dots,m\}$
 such that $c_{l_0}<c$. Using \eqref{eq3.8}, we obtain
\begin{equation}
 \Phi_{c_{l_0}}\big(i, j +(c_{l_0}-c)t +\theta_{l_0}\big)
\leq U_{i,j-c t;p}(t)\leq K.
\label{p2}
\end{equation}
Noting that $\Phi_c(i, +\infty)=K$, we conclude that $U_{i,j-ct;p}(t)\to K$
as $t\to-\infty$ with   $j-ct\in\mathbb{Z}$. By  Proposition \ref{Pro2.4},
the convergence also takes place in $\mathcal{T}$. Similarly, we can show that
if there exists $k_0\in\{1,\dots,n\}$ such that $c_{k_0}'<c$,
then $U_{i,j+ct;p}(t)\to K$ as $t\to-\infty$ with   $j+ct\in\mathbb{Z}$.


 (ii) Suppose that there exists $l_0\in\{1,\dots,m\}$ such that
$c_{l_0}>c$. By \eqref{p2}, it is easy to see that $U_{i,j-ct;p}(t)\to K$ as
$t\to+\infty$ with   $j-ct\in\mathbb{Z}$. Similarly, we can prove the second
conclusion of this statement.  This completes the proof.
\end{proof}

\begin{remark} \rm
Roughly speaking, the  statement  (a)   of part  (i) of  Theorem \ref{thm3.4} mean
that only some fronts, those with small speeds, can be ``viewed''
as $t\to-\infty$, the other ones being ``hidden''. However,   it seems
impossible to view any fronts as $t\to+\infty$.
\end{remark}

\subsection*{Acknowledgments}
The authors want to thank the anonymous referee for his/her valuable
comments and suggestions that help the improvement of the manuscript.
H.-Q. Zhao was supported by the NSF of Shaanxi Province (2013JM1014)
and the Specialized Research
Fund of Xianyang Normal University (11XSYK202).
S.-Y. Liu was supported by the NSF of China (60974082).


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\end{document}
