Free evolution in the Ginzburg-Landau equation and other complex diffusion equations

New ordinary differential equations (ODEs) for the evolution of spectral components are derived from the complex Ginzburg–Landau equation (CGLe) for one-dimensional spatial domains without boundaries (free evolution) and with one fixed boundary (semi-free evolution). For such evolution, a complex or imaginary diffusion term creates a tendency for waves to lengthen. This requires a novel ansatz and auxiliary condition that treat wavenumbers as time-varying. The ansatz consists of a discrete spatial Fourier transform modified with a time-dependent wavenumber for the peak spectral component. The wavenumbers of the other components are fixed relative to this wavenumber. The new auxiliary condition is the terminal condition for complex diffusion (after wavenumbers evolve to zero, they remain at zero). The derived free and semi-free ODEs are solved along characteristic lines located symmetrically about a fixed spatial point. Waves lengthen with time away from this point in both directions. Laboratory experiments on the formation of channel sandbars, theoretically described by the CGLe, show two regions whose evolutionary behaviour is qualitatively predicted by the free and semi-free evolution equations. This analysis applies to other time-dependent partial differential equations with complex or imaginary diffusion terms. New freely evolving solutions are derived for the complex heat equation and Schrödinger equation (linear and nonlinear).