Asymptotic equipartition and long time behavior of solutions of a thin-film equation

We investigate the large-time behavior of classical solutions to the thin-film type equation ut=−x(uuxxx). It was shown in previous work of Carrillo and Toscani that for non-negative initial data u₀ that belongs to H¹(R) and also has a finite mass and second moment, the strong solutions relax in the L¹(R) norm at an explicit rate to the unique self-similar source type solution with the same mass. The equation itself is gradient flow for an energy functional that controls the H¹(R) norm, and so it is natural to expect that one should also have convergence in this norm. Carrillo and Toscani raised this question, but their methods, using a different Lyapunov functions that arises in the theory of the porous medium equation, do not directly address this since their Lyapunov functional does not involve derivatives of u. Here we show that the solutions do indeed converge in the H¹(R) norm at an explicit, but slow, rate. The key to establishing this convergence is an asymptotic equipartition of the excess energy. Roughly speaking, the energy functional whose dissipation drives the evolution through gradient flow consists of two parts: one involving derivatives of u, and one that does not. We show that these must decay at related rates—due to the asymptotic equipartition—and then use the results of Carrillo and Toscani to control the rate for the part that does not depend on derivatives. From this, one gets a rate on the dissipation for all of the excess energy.     

A non-local regularization of first order Hamilton-Jacobi equations

In this paper, we investigate the regularizing effect of a non-local operator on first-order Hamilton-Jacobi equations. We prove that there exists a unique solution that is C² in space and C¹ in time. In order to do so, we combine viscosity solution techniques and Green's function techniques. Viscosity solution theory provides the existence of a W^1,∞ solution as well as uniqueness and stability results. A Duhamel's integral representation of the equation involving the Green's function permits to prove further regularity. We also state the existence of C^∞ solutions (in space and time) under suitable assumptions on the Hamiltonian. We finally give an error estimate in L^∞ norm between the viscosity solution of the pure Hamilton-Jacobi equation and the solution of the integro-differential equation with a vanishing non-local part.     

A quenching criterion for a multi-dimensional parabolic problem due to a concentrated nonlinear source

A multi-dimensional parabolic first initial-boundary value problem with a concentrated nonlinear source is studied. A criterion for its solution to quench, in a finite time t_q, everywhere on the concentrated nonlinear source only is given. An upper bound for t_q is also deduced. For illustration, an example is given.     

Dirichlet inhomogeneous boundary value problem for the n+1 complex Ginzburg-Landau equation

We study the following complex Ginzburg-Landau equation with cubic nonlinearity on for under initial and Dirichlet boundary conditions u(x,0)=h(x) for x∈Ω, u(x,t)=Q(x,t) on ∂Ω where h,Q are given smooth functions. Under suitable conditions, we prove the existence of a global solution in H¹. Further, this solution approaches to the solution of the NLS limit under identical initial and boundary data as a,b→0⁺.     

Universal self-similarity of porous media equation with absorption: the critical exponent case

In this paper we study the large time behavior of non-negative solutions to the Cauchy problem of u_t=Δu^m−u^q in R^N×(0,∞), where m>1 and q=q_c≡m+2/N is a critical exponent. For non-negative initial value u(x,0)=u₀(x)∈L¹(R^N), we show that the solution converges, if u₀(x)(1+|x|)^k is bounded for some k>N, to a unique fundamental solution of u_t=Δu^m, independent of the initial value, with additional logarithmic anomalous decay exponent in time as t→∞.     

Large time behavior for a viscous Hamilton-Jacobi equation with Neumann boundary condition

We prove the existence and the uniqueness of strong solutions for the viscous Hamilton-Jacobi equation: with Neumann boundary condition, and initial data μ₀, a continuous function. The domain Ω is a bounded and convex open set with smooth boundary, a∈R,a≠0 and p>0. Then, we study the large time behavior of the solution and we show that for p∈(0,1), the extinction in finite time of the gradient of the solution occurs, while for p?1 the solution converges uniformly to a constant, as t→∞.     

Blowing up boundary conditions for a nonlocal nonlinear diffusion equation in several space dimensions

We analyze boundary value problems prescribing Dirichlet or Neumann boundary conditions for a nonlocal nonlinear diffusion operator which is analogous to the porous medium equation in a bounded smooth domain Ω∈R^N with N≥1. First, we prove existence and uniqueness of solutions and the validity of a comparison principle for these problems. Next, we impose boundary data that blow up in finite time and study the behavior of the solutions.     

Blow-up,global existence and exponential decay estimates for a class of quasilinear parabolic problems

This paper deals with a class of nonlinear parabolic problems in divergence form whose solutions, without appropriate data restrictions, might blow up at some finite time. The purpose of this paper is to establish conditions on the data sufficient to guarantee blow-up of solution at some finite time τ$\tau$, conditions to ensure that the solution remains bounded as well as conditions to derive some explicit exponential decay bounds for the solution and its derivatives.     

Global existence and blowup for sign-changing solutions of the nonlinear heat equation

In this paper, given 0<α<2/N, we prove the existence of a function ψ with the following properties. The solution of the equation ut−Δu=α|u|u on RN with the initial condition u(0)=ψ is global. On the other hand, the solution with the initial condition u(0)=λψ blows up in finite time if λ>0 is either sufficiently small or sufficiently large.     

Global dynamics and robustness of reversible autocatalytic reaction-diffusion systems

Global asymptotic dynamics of a representative cubic-autocatalytic reaction-diffusion system, the reversible Selkov equations, are investigated. This system features two pairs of oppositely signed nonlinear terms so that the asymptotic dissipative condition is not satisfied, which causes substantial difficulties in an attempt to attest that the longtime dynamics are asymptotically dissipative. An L² to H¹ global attractor of finite fractal dimension is shown to exist for the semiflow of the weak solutions of the reversible Selkov equations with the Dirichlet boundary condition on a bounded domain of dimension n≤3. A new method of rescaling and grouping estimation is used to prove the absorbing property and the asymptotical compactness. Importantly, the upper semicontinuity (robustness) in the H¹ product space of the global attractors for the family of solution semiflows with respect to the reverse reaction rate as it tends to zero is proved through a new approach of transformative decomposition to overcome the barrier of the perturbed singularity between the reversible and non-reversible systems by showing the uniform dissipativity and the uniformly bounded evolution of the union of global attractors under the bundle of reversible and non-reversible semiflows.     

Blowup stability of solutions of the nonlinear heat equation with a large life span

We study the Cauchy problem for the nonlinear heat equation u_t-?u=|u|^p-1u in R^N. The initial data is of the form u₀=λ?, where ?∈C₀(R^N) is fixed and λ>0. We first take 1<p<p_f, where p_f is the Fujita critical exponent, and ?∈C₀(R^N)∩L¹(R^N) with nonzero mean. We show that u(t) blows up for λ small, extending the H. Fujita blowup result for sign-changing solutions. Next, we consider 1<p<p_s, where p_s is the Sobolev critical exponent, and ?(x) decaying as |x|^-σ at infinity, where p<1+2/σ. We also prove that u(t) blows up when λ is small, extending a result of T. Lee and W. Ni. For both cases, the solution enjoys some stable blowup properties. For example, there is single point blowup even if ? is not radial.     

Global solutions and self-similar solutions of semilinear parabolic equations with nonlinear gradient terms

In this paper we consider the Cauchy problem of semilinear parabolic equations with nonlinear gradient terms a(x)|u|^q−1u|∇u|^p. We prove the existence of global solutions and self-similar solutions for small initial data. Moreover, for a class of initial data we show that the global solutions behave asymptotically like self-similar solutions as t→∞.     

Homoclinic bifurcations at the onset of pulse self-replication

We establish a series of properties of symmetric, N-pulse, homoclinic solutions of the reduced Gray-Scott system: u^″=uv², v^″=v−uv², which play a pivotal role in questions concerning the existence and self-replication of pulse solutions of the full Gray-Scott model. Specifically, we establish the existence, and study properties, of solution branches in the (α,β)-plane that represent multi-pulse homoclinic orbits, where α and β are the central values of u(x) and v(x), respectively. We prove bounds for these solution branches, study their behavior as α→∞, and establish a series of geometric properties of these branches which are valid throughout the (α,β)-plane. We also establish qualitative properties of multi-pulse solutions and study how they bifurcate, i.e., how they change along the solution branches.     

Blow-up results for a class of first-order nonlinear evolution inequalities

We investigate the non-existence of solutions to a class of evolution inequalities; in this case, as it happens in a relatively small number of blow-up studies, nonlinearities depend also on time-variable t and spatial derivatives of the unknown. The present results, which in great part do not require any assumption on the regularity of data, are completely new and shown with various applications. Some of these results referring to the problem u_t=Δu+a(x)|u|^p+λf(x) in R^N, t>0 include the non-existence results of positive global solutions obtained by Fujita and others when a≡1 and f≡0, Bandle-Levine and Levine-Meier when a≡|x|^m and f≡0, Pinsky when either f≡0 or f?0 and λ>0, Zhang and Bandle-Levine-Zhang when a≡1 and λ=1.     

Viscosity method for homogenization of parabolic nonlinear equations in perforated domains

In this paper, we develop a viscosity method for homogenization of Nonlinear Parabolic Equations constrained by highly oscillating obstacles or Dirichlet data in perforated domains. The Dirichlet data on the perforated domain can be considered as a constraint or an obstacle. Homogenization of nonlinear eigen value problems has been also considered to control the degeneracy of the porous medium equation in perforated domains. For the simplicity, we consider obstacles that consist of cylindrical columns distributed periodically and perforated domains with punctured balls. If the decay rate of the capacity of columns or the capacity of punctured ball is too high or too small, the limit of u? will converge to trivial solutions. The critical decay rates of having nontrivial solution are obtained with the construction of barriers. We also show the limit of u? satisfies a homogenized equation with a term showing the effect of the highly oscillating obstacles or perforated domain in viscosity sense.     

The condition on the stability of stationary lines in a curvature flow in the whole plane

The long time behavior of a curve in the whole plane moving by a curvature flow is studied. Studying the Cauchy problem, we deal with moving curves represented by entire graphs on the x-axis. Here the initial curves are given by bounded functions on the x-axis. It is proved that the solution converges uniformly to the solution of the Cauchy problem of the heat equation with the same initial value. The difference is of order O(t−1/2) as time goes to infinity. The proof is based on the decay estimates for the derivatives of the solution. By virtue of the stability results for the heat equation, our result gives the sufficient and necessary condition on the stability of constant solutions that represent stationary lines of the curvature flow in the whole plane.     

The singular limit of the Allen-Cahn equation and the FitzHugh-Nagumo system

We consider an Allen-Cahn type equation of the form ut=Δu+ε⁻²fε(x,t,u), where ε is a small parameter and fε(x,t,u)=f(u)−εgε(x,t,u) a bistable nonlinearity associated with a double-well potential whose well-depths can be slightly unbalanced. Given a rather general initial data u₀ that is independent of ε, we perform a rigorous analysis of both the generation and the motion of interface. More precisely we show that the solution develops a steep transition layer within the time scale of order ε²|lnε|, and that the layer obeys the law of motion that coincides with the formal asymptotic limit within an error margin of order ε. This is an optimal estimate that has not been known before for solutions with general initial data, even in the case where gε≡0.Next we consider systems of reaction-diffusion equations of the form

     

Singular parabolic equations with measures as initial data

In this paper we study the Cauchy problem for the singular evolution p-Laplacian equations with gradient term and source on the assumption of measures as initial conditions. For the supercritical case q>p−1+p/N, we obtain that for every nonnegative solution there exists a nonnegative Radon measure μ as initial trace and μ has some local regularity.     

Reconstruction of two time independent coefficients in an inverse problem for a phase field system

In this paper we present stability results concerning the inverse problem of determining two time independent coefficients for a phase field system in a bounded domain Ω⊂Rⁿ for the dimension n≤3 with a single observation on a subdomain ω?Ω and the Sobolev norm of certain partial derivatives of the solutions at a fixed positive time θ∈(0,T) over the whole spatial domain. The proof of these results relies on an appropriate Carleman estimate for the phase field system.     

Convex curves moving translationally in the plane

We show that a nontrivial homothetic self-similar solution can happen only when F(k)=kα or F(k)=−k−α. We also derive a parametric representation of a translational self-similar solution. A translational self-similar solution may have self-intersections but cannot be a simple closed curve for any F(k).