Abstract
Fully localised patterns involving cellular hexagons or squares have been found experimentally and numerically in various continuum models. However, there is currently no mathematical theory for the emergence of these localised cellular patterns from a quiescent state. A key issue is that standard techniques for one-dimensional patterns have proven insufficient for understanding localisation in higher dimensions. In this work, we present a comprehensive approach to this problem by using techniques developed in the study of radially-symmetric patterns. Our analysis covers localised planar patterns equipped with a wide range of dihedral symmetries, thereby avoiding a restriction to solutions on a predetermined lattice. The context in this paper is a theory for the emergence of such patterns near a Turing instability for a general class of planar reaction-diffusion equations. Posing the reaction-diffusion system in polar coordinates, we carry out a finite-mode Fourier decomposition in the angular variable to yield a large system of coupled radial ordinary differential equations. We then utilise various radial spatial dynamics methods, such as invariant manifolds, rescaling charts, and normal form analysis, leading to an algebraic matching condition for localised patterns to exist in the finite-mode reduction. This algebraic matching condition is nontrivial, which we solve via a combination of by-hand calculations and Grobner bases from polynomial algebra to reveal the existence of a plethora of localised dihedral patterns. These results capture the essence of the emergent localised hexagonal patterns witnessed in experiments. Moreover, we combine computer-assisted analysis and a Newton-Kantorovich procedure to prove the existence of localised patches with 6 m-fold symmetry for arbitrarily large Fourier decompositions. This includes the localised hexagon patches that have been elusive to analytical treatment.