On the numerical computation of $R_0$ in periodic environments
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2025
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| _version_ | 1866915472628252672 |
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| author | Breda, Dimitri De Reggi, Simone Ripoll, Jordi |
| author_facet | Breda, Dimitri De Reggi, Simone Ripoll, Jordi |
| contents | We propose a novel approach to approximate the basic reproduction number $R_0$ as spectral radius of the Next-Generation Operator in time-periodic population models by characterizing the latter via evolution semigroups. Once birth/infection and transition operators are identified, we discretize them via either Fourier or Chebyshev collocation methods. Then $R_0$ is obtained by solving a generalized matrix eigenvalue problem. The order of convergence of the approximating reproduction numbers to the true one is shown to depend on the regularity of the model coefficients, and spectral accuracy is proved. We validate the theoretical results by discussing applications to epidemiology, viz. a large-size multi-group epidemic model with periodic contact rates, and a vector-borne disease model with seasonal vector recruitment. We illustrate how the method facilitates implementation compared to existing approaches and how it can be easily adapted to also compute type-reproduction numbers. |
| format | Preprint |
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arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_00847 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | On the numerical computation of $R_0$ in periodic environments Breda, Dimitri De Reggi, Simone Ripoll, Jordi Numerical Analysis Dynamical Systems 34L16, 37N25, 41A10, 47D06, 47B07, 65L60, 65L70, 92D25 We propose a novel approach to approximate the basic reproduction number $R_0$ as spectral radius of the Next-Generation Operator in time-periodic population models by characterizing the latter via evolution semigroups. Once birth/infection and transition operators are identified, we discretize them via either Fourier or Chebyshev collocation methods. Then $R_0$ is obtained by solving a generalized matrix eigenvalue problem. The order of convergence of the approximating reproduction numbers to the true one is shown to depend on the regularity of the model coefficients, and spectral accuracy is proved. We validate the theoretical results by discussing applications to epidemiology, viz. a large-size multi-group epidemic model with periodic contact rates, and a vector-borne disease model with seasonal vector recruitment. We illustrate how the method facilitates implementation compared to existing approaches and how it can be easily adapted to also compute type-reproduction numbers. |
| title | On the numerical computation of $R_0$ in periodic environments |
| topic | Numerical Analysis Dynamical Systems 34L16, 37N25, 41A10, 47D06, 47B07, 65L60, 65L70, 92D25 |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.00847 |