Generalized solutions to partial differential equations of evolution type

This paper deals with a new solution concept for partial differential equations in algebras of generalized functions. Introducing regularized derivatives for generalized functions, we show that the Cauchy problem is wellposed backward and forward in time for every system of linear partial differential equations of evolution type in this sense. We obtain existence and uniqueness of generalized solutions in situations where there is no distributional solution or where even smooth solutions are nonunique. In the case of symmetric hyperbolic systems, the generalized solution has the classical weak solution as macroscopic aspect. Two extensions to nonlinear systems are given: global solutions to quasilinear evolution equations with bounded nonlinearities and local solutions to quasilinear symmetric hyperbolic systems.     

Pointwise gradient estimates of solutions to onedimensional nonlinear parabolic equations

We present here an improved version of the method introduced by the first author to derive pointwise gradient estimates for the solutions of one-dimensional parabolic problems. After considering a general qualinear equation in divergence form we apply the method to the case of a nonlinear diffusion-convection equation. The conclusions are stated first for classical solutions and then for generalized and mild solutions. In the case of unbounded initial datum we obtain several regularizing effects for t > 0. Some unilateral pointwise gradient estimates are also obtained. The case of the Dirichlet problem is also considered. Finally, we collect, in the last section, several comments showing the connections among these estimates and the study of the free boundaries associated to the solutions of the diffusion-convection equation.     

Analyticity of the Cauchy problem for two-component Hunter-Saxton systems

This paper is mainly concerned with the periodic Cauchy problem for a generalized two-component μ-Hunter-Saxton system with analytic initial data. The analyticity of its solutions is proved in both variables, globally in space and locally in time. The obtained result can be also applied to its special cases—the classical integrable two-component Hunter-Saxton system, the generalized μ-Hunter-Saxton equation and the classical Hunter-Saxton equation.     

On the Carathéodory–Fejér Interpolation Problem for Generalized Schur Functions

The solutions of the Carathéodory–Fejér interpolation problem for generalized Schur functions can be parametrized via a linear fractional transformation over the class of classical Schur functions. The linear fractional transformation of some of these functions may have a pole (simple or multiple) in one or more of the interpolation points or not satisfy one or more interpolation conditions, hence not all Schur functions can serve as a parameter. The set of excluded parameters is characterized in terms of the related Pick matrix.Research was supported by the Summer Research Grant from the College of William and MarySubmitted: June 26, 2002 Revised: January 31, 2003     

Entropy Dissipation Methods for Degenerate ParabolicProblems and Generalized Sobolev Inequalities

We analyse the large-time asymptotics of quasilinear (possibly) degenerate parabolic systems in three cases: 1) scalar problems with confinement by a uniformly convex potential, 2) unconfined scalar equations and 3) unconfined systems. In particular we are interested in the rate of decay to equilibrium or self-similar solutions. The main analytical tool is based on the analysis of the entropy dissipation. In the scalar case this is done by proving decay of the entropy dissipation rate and bootstrapping back to show convergence of the relative entropy to zero. As by-product, this approach gives generalized Sobolev-inequalities, which interpolate between the Gross logarithmic Sobolev inequality and the classical Sobolev inequality. The time decay of the solutions of the degenerate systems is analyzed by means of a generalisation of the Nash inequality. Porous media, fast diffusion, p-Laplace and energy transport systems are included in the considered class of problems. A generalized Csiszár–Kullback inequality allows for an estimation of the decay to equilibrium in terms of the relative entropy. (Received 11 October 2000; in revised form 13 March 2001)     

Existence of weak solutions for a non-classical sharp interface model for a two-phase flow of viscous,incompressible fluids

We introduce a new sharp interface model for the flow of two immiscible, viscous, incompressible fluids. In contrast to classical models for two-phase flows we prescribe an evolution law for the interfaces that takes diffusional effects into account. This leads to a coupled system of Navier–Stokes and Mullins–Sekerka type parts that coincides with the asymptotic limit of a diffuse interface model. We prove the long-time existence of weak solutions, which is an open problem for the classical two-phase model. We show that the phase interfaces have in almost all points a generalized mean curvature.     

Global existence,asymptotic stability and blow-up of solutions for the generalized Boussinesq equation with nonlinear boundary condition

In this paper, we consider initial boundary value problem of the generalized Boussinesq equation with nonlinear interior source and boundary absorptive terms. We establish firstly the local existence of solutions by standard Galerkin method. Then we prove both the global existence of the solution and a general decay of the energy functions under some restrictions on the initial data. We also prove a blow-up result for solutions with positive and negative initial energy respectively.     

The Riemann problem with delta initial data for a class of coupled hyperbolic systems of conservation laws

In this paper, we solve the Riemann problem with the initial data containing Dirac delta functions for a class of coupled hyperbolic systems of conservation laws. Under suitably generalized Rankine–Hugoniot relation and entropy condition, the existence and uniqueness of solutions involving delta shock waves are proved. Further, four kinds of different structure for solutions are established uniquely.     

On the Hamilton-Jacobi equation in the framework of generalized functions

In this work we study, in the framework of Colombeau?s generalized functions, the Hamilton-Jacobi equation with a given initial condition. We have obtained theorems on existence of solutions and in some cases uniqueness. Our technique is adapted from the classical method of characteristics with a wide use of generalized functions. We were led also to obtain some general results on invertibility and also on ordinary differential equations of such generalized functions.     

Aleksandrov–Bakelman–Pucci maximum principles for a class of uniformly elliptic and parabolic integro-PDE

We prove generalized Aleksandrov–Bakelman–Pucci maximum principles for elliptic and parabolic integro-PDEs of Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman–Isaacs types, whose PDE parts are either uniformly elliptic or uniformly parabolic. The proofs of these results are based on the classical Aleksandrov–Bakelman–Pucci maximum principles for the elliptic and parabolic PDEs and an iteration procedure using solutions of Pucci extremal equations. We also provide proofs of nonlocal versions of the classical Aleksandrov–Bakelman–Pucci maximum principles for elliptic and parabolic integro-PDEs.     

Supremum principles for the higher-order derivatives of solutions to the Dirichlet problem for parabolic equations without compatibility conditions between the data

The Dirichlet problem is considered for the heat equation ut=auxx, a>0 a constant, for (x,t)∈[0,1]×[0,T], without assuming any compatibility condition between initial and boundary data at the corner points (0,0) and (1,0). Under some smoothness restrictions on the data (stricter than those required by the classical maximum principle), weak and strong supremum and infimum principles are established for the higher-order derivatives, ut and uxx, of the bounded classical solutions. When compatibility conditions of zero order are satisfied (i.e., initial and boundary data coincide at the corner points), these principles allow to estimate the higher-order derivatives of classical solutions uniformly from below and above on the entire domain, except that at the two corner points. When compatibility conditions of the second order are satisfied (i.e., classical solutions belong to on the closed domain), the results of the paper are a direct consequence of the classical maximum and minimum principles applied to the higher-order derivatives. The classical principles for the solutions to the Dirichlet problem with compatibility conditions are generalized to the case of the same problem without any compatibility condition. The Dirichlet problem without compatibility conditions is then considered for general linear one-dimensional parabolic equations. The previous results as well as some new properties of the corresponding Green functions derived here allow to establish uniformL¹-estimates for the higher-order derivatives of the bounded classical solutions to the general problem.     

Global solutions and asymptotic behavior for a parabolic degenerate coupled system arising from biology

In this paper we will focus on a parabolic degenerate system with respect to unknown functions u and w on a bounded domain of the two dimensional Euclidean space. This system appears as a mathematical model for some biological processes. Global existence and uniqueness of a nonnegative classical Hölder continuous solution are proved. The last part of the paper is devoted to the study of the asymptotic behavior of the solutions.     

Existence of translating solutions to the flow by powers of mean curvature on unbounded domains

In this paper, we prove the existence of classical solutions to the Dirichlet problem of a class of quasi-linear elliptic equations on an unbounded cone and a U-type domain in Rn(n?2). This problem comes from the study of mean curvature flow or its generalization, the flow by powers of mean curvature. Our approach is a modified version of the classical Perron method, where the solutions to the minimal surface equation are used as sub-solutions and a family auxiliary functions are constructed as super-solutions.     

Existence and uniqueness of solutions for a non-uniformly parabolic equation

In this paper, we study a generalized Burgers equation u_t+(u²)_x=tu_xx, which is a non-uniformly parabolic equation for t>0. We show the existence and uniqueness of classical solutions to the initial-value problem of the generalized Burgers equation with rough initial data belonging to .     

The Cauchy problem for Schr?dinger-type partial differential operators with generalized functions in the principal part and as data

We set-up and solve the Cauchy problem for Schr?dinger-type differential operators with generalized functions as coefficients, in particular, allowing for distributional coefficients in the principal part. Equations involving such kind of operators appeared in models of deep earth seismology. We prove existence and uniqueness of Colombeau generalized solutions and analyze the relations with classical and distributional solutions. Furthermore, we provide a construction of generalized initial values that may serve as square roots of arbitrary probability measures.     

The Cauchy problem for Schrödinger-type partial differential operators with generalized functions in the principal part and as data

We set-up and solve the Cauchy problem for Schrödinger-type differential operators with generalized functions as coefficients, in particular, allowing for distributional coefficients in the principal part. Equations involving such kind of operators appeared in models of deep earth seismology. We prove existence and uniqueness of Colombeau generalized solutions and analyze the relations with classical and distributional solutions. Furthermore, we provide a construction of generalized initial values that may serve as square roots of arbitrary probability measures.     

Loss of boundary conditions for fully nonlinear parabolic equations with superquadratic gradient terms

We study whether the solutions of a fully nonlinear, uniformly parabolic equation with superquadratic growth in the gradient satisfy initial and homogeneous boundary conditions in the classical sense, a problem we refer to as the classical Dirichlet problem. Our main results are: the nonexistence of global-in-time solutions of this problem, depending on a specific largeness condition on the initial data, and the existence of local-in-time solutions for initial data $C^1$ up to the boundary. Global existence is know when boundary conditions are understood in the viscosity sense, what is known as the generalized Dirichlet problem. Therefore, our result implies loss of boundary conditions in finite time. Specifically, a solution satisfying homogeneous boundary conditions in the viscosity sense eventually becomes strictly positive at some point of the boundary.     

Traveling wave solutions for the mKdV equation and the Gardner equations by new approach of the generalized (G′/G)-expansion method

In this paper, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the new generalized (G′/G)-expansion method by seeking more exact solutions via the mKdV equation and the Gardner equations. The method is direct, concise and simple to implement compared to other existing methods. The traveling wave solutions obtained by this method are expressed in terms of hyperbolic, trigonometric and rational functions. The method shows a wide application for handling nonlinear wave equations. Moreover, the method reduces the large amount of calculations.     

Global existence for parabolic systems by Lyapunov functions

We present a result on the global existence of classical solutions for quasilinear parabolic systems with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions in bounded domains with a smooth boundary. Our method relies on the use of Lyapunov functions.     

Extremal solutions of quasilinear parabolic inclusions with generalized Clarke's gradient

In this paper we consider an initial boundary value problem for a parabolic inclusion whose multivalued nonlinearity is characterized by Clarke's generalized gradient of some locally Lipschitz function, and whose elliptic operator may be a general quasilinear operator of Leray-Lions type. Recently, extremality results have been obtained in case that the governing multivalued term is of special structure such as, multifunctions given by the usual subdifferential of convex functions or subgradients of so-called dc-functions. The main goal of this paper is to prove the existence of extremal solutions within a sector of appropriately defined upper and lower solutions for quasilinear parabolic inclusions with general Clarke's gradient. The main tools used in the proof are abstract results on nonlinear evolution equations, regularization, comparison, truncation, and special test function techniques as well as tools from nonsmooth analysis.