Finite Time Equipartition for Second-order Hyperbolic Systems

A sufficient condition for equipartition of energy for secondorder hyperbolic systems in three space variables is given.The condition states that the system should evolve in such away that the time derivative of a solution of the form (u₁,0)^T is connected with the space derivatives of a solution ofthe form (0, u₂)^T and the time derivative of (0, u₂)^T is connectedwith the space derivatives of (u₁, 0)^T.     

Oscillation Properties of a Semi-discrete Approximation to the Beam Equation with a Second Order Term

The solution of the equation w(x)u_tt+[p(x)u_xx]_xx–[p(x)u_x]_x=0, 0< x < L, t > 0, where it is assumed that w, p,and q are positive on the interval [0, L], is approximated bythe method of straight lines. The resulting approximation isa linear system of differential equations with coefficient matrixS. The matrix S is studied under a variety of boundary conditionswhich result in a conservative system. In all cases the matrixS is shown to be similar to an oscillation matrix.     

Adaptive numerical schemes for a parabolic problem with blow-up

In this paper we present adaptive procedures for the numericalstudy of positive solutions of the following problem: u_t = u_xx (x, t) (0, 1) x [0, T), u_x(0, t) = 0 t [0, T), u_x(1, t) = u^p(1, t) t [0, T), u(x, 0) = u₀(x) x (0, 1), with p > 1. We describe two methods. The first one refinesthe mesh in the region where the solution becomes bigger ina precise way that allows us to recover the blow-up rate andthe blow-up set of the continuous problem. The second one combinesthe ideas used in the first one with moving mesh methods andmoves the last points when necessary. This scheme also recoversthe blow-up rate and set. Finally, we present numerical experimentsto illustrate the behaviour of both methods.     

Stationary Critical Points of the Heat Flow in Spaces of Constant Curvature

The paper considers stationary critical points of the heat flowin sphere S^N and in hyperbolic space H^N, and proves severalresults corresponding to those in Euclidean space R^N which havebeen proved by Magnanini and Sakaguchi. To be precise, it isshown that a solution u of the heat equation has a stationarycritical point, if and only if u satisfies some balance lawwith respect to the point for any time. In Cauchy problems forthe heat equation, it is shown that the solution u has a stationarycritical point if and only if the initial data satisfies thebalance law with respect to the point. Furthermore, one point,say x₀, is fixed and initial-boundary value problems are consideredfor the heat equation on bounded domains containing x₀. It isshown that for any initial data satisfying the balance law withrespect to x₀ (or being centrosymmetric with respect to x₀)the corresponding solution always has x₀ as a stationary criticalpoint, if and only if the domain is a geodesic ball centredat x₀ (or is centrosymmetric with respect to x₀, respectively).     

The Markov Oscillation Problem in Discrete Time

Consider a discrete-time regenerative phenomenon with associatedrenewal sequence u_n. General results for the supremum of u_m+1,..., u_m+n are developed for those renewal sequences {u_n} forwhich the first m + 1 elements match those of a fixed renewalsequence {v_n}, that is, u₀ = v₀, ..., u_m = v_m. A series of associatedlemmas are developed in the process.     

Simultaneous determination of the source terms in a linear hyperbolic problem from the final overdetermination: weak solution approach

The problem of determining the pair w:={F(x, t);f(t)} of sourceterms in the hyperbolic equation u_tt = (k(x)u_x)_x + F(x, t) andin the Neumann boundary condition k(0)u_x(0, t) = f(t) from themeasured data µ(x):=u(x, T) and/or (x):=u_t(x, t) at thefinal time t = T is formulated. It is proved that both componentsof the Fréchet gradient of the cost functionals J₁(w)= ||u(x, t;w) – µ(x)||₀² and J₂(w) = ||u_t(x, T;w)– (x)||₀² can be found via the solutions of correspondingadjoint hyperbolic problems. Lipschitz continuity of the gradientis derived. Unicity of the solution and ill-conditionednessof the inverse problem are analysed. The obtained results permitone to construct a monotone iteration process, as well as toprove the existence of a quasi-solution.     

A 'taut string algorithm' for straightening a piecewise linear path in two dimensions

A piecewise linear path in two dimensions is formed by drawingstraight lines between adjacent points in the sequence {u_i:i=1,2,...,n}.Let be a given positive number such that the length of eachstraight line segment is at least 3 . We straighten the pathin the following way. For i=2,3,...,n-1, we surround u_i by acircular ring of radius and centre u_i. Then a piece of stringthat begins at u₁ and ends at u_n is threaded through all therings in sequence. The new path is constructed by pulling thestring tight. An iterative algorithm is proposed that generatesthe new path to prescribed accuracy. Its convergence is provedand its efficiency is demonstrated by some numerical results.     

The inner and outer flow fields due to a pair of spheres moving unsteadily through a compressible fluid: rectilinear motion

Two rigid spheres with equal radii a₀ move with variable speedalong their line of centres, through an inviscid compressiblefluid. The acoustic velocity potential is determined asymptoticallywhen a typical speed u₀ of the spheres is small compared withthe mean sound speed c₀ and the separation of the two spheresvaries on a time scale t₀ = a₀/u₀. Liner and outer asymptoticapproximations are matched and the distant sound field is expressedin terms of point sources of monopole, dipole and quadrupoletype.     

Steady-state solution for electroplating

At steady state, electroplating processes are governed by thedimensionless equations where d_i, e_i, and u_i arerespectively the diffusion coefficient, charge, and concentrationof the ith species. The extra electroneutrality condition will determine the electric potential. This system of nonlinear differential equations is subjectto the nonlinear boundary conditions modelling the actual electrodekinetics. The authors prove the existence of the solution andconstruct a computational algorithm. Numerical experiments areperformed on practical data.     

Algebraic decay and variable speeds in wavefront solutions of a scalar reaction-diffusion equation

Wavefront solutions of scalar reaction-diffusion equations havebeen intensively studied for many years. There are two basiccases, typified by quadratic and cubic kinetics. An intermediatecase is considered in this paper, namely, u_l = u_xx + u²(1 –u). It is shown that there is a unique travelling-wave solution,with a speed 1/2, for which the decay to zero ahead of the waveis exponential with x. Moreover, numerical evidence is presentedwhich suggests that initial conditions with such exponentialdecay evolve to this travelling-wave solution, independentlyof the half-life of the initial decay. It is then shown thatfor all speeds greater than 1/2 there is also a travelling-wavesolution, but that these faster waves decay to zero algebraically,in proportion to 1/x. The numerical evidence suggests that initialconditions with such a decay rate evolve to one of these fasterwaves; the particular speed depends in a simple way on the detailsof the initial condition. Finally, initial conditions decayingalgebraically for a power law other than 1/x are considered.It is shown numerically that such initial conditions evolveeither to an algebraically decaying travelling wave, or in somecases to a wavefront whose shape and speed vary as a functionof time. This variation is monotonic and can be quite pronounced,and the speed is a function of u as well as of time. Using asimple linearization argument, an approximate formula is derivedfor the wave speed which compares extremely well with the numericalresults. Finally, the extension of the results to the more generalcase of u_l = u_xx + u^m(1 – u), with m > 1, is discussed.     

Asymptotic simplification for a reaction-diffusion problem with a nonlinear boundary condition

We study non-negative solutions of the porous medium equationwith a source and a nonlinear flux boundary condition, u_t =(u^m)_xx + u^p in (0, ), x (0, T); – (u^m)_x (0, t) = u^q (0,t) for t (0, T); u (x, 0) = u₀ (x) in (0, ), where m > 1,p, q > 0 are parameters. For every fixed m we prove thatthere are two critical curves in the (p, q-plane: (i) the criticalexistence curve, separating the region where every solutionis global from the region where there exist blowing-up solutions,and (ii) the Fujita curve, separating a region of parametersin which all solutions blow up from a region where both globalin time solutions and blowing-up solutions exist. In the caseof blow up we find the blow-up rates, the blow-up sets and theblow-up profiles, showing that there is a phenomenon of asymptoticsimplification. If 2q < p + m the asymptotics are governedby the source term. On the other hand, if 2q > p + m theevolution close to blow up is ruled by the boundary flux. If2q = p + m both terms are of the same order.     

Differentiability Properties of an Abstract Autonomous Composition Operator

The autonomous composition operator is the nonlinear map whichtakes a pair of functions into its composite function. The compositionoperator often appears in problems of nonlinear analysis andto analyse such problems it is often important to know whetherthe composition operator is continuous or differentiable. Afairly large number of papers in the literature have been devotedto the study of composition operators. For fullscale references,we refer the reader to the extensive monographs of Appell andZabrejko [1] and Runst and Sickel [8]. To exemplify a typicalsituation, we consider the semilinear Dirichlet boundary valueproblem where denotes a sufficiently regular bounded open subset ofR^N, and h₀ a map of R to R, and where u is the unknown of theproblem. We assume that we know that a certain function u₀ belongingto a certain function space X solves (1.1). Then if we wishto know whether by perturbing h₀ in a certain function space,say Y, the solutions u depend on h continuously, with differentiability,with analyticity or bifurcate, we could set G[h, u] u+h u,recast problem (1.1) into the abstract form G[h, u] (1.2) and study the solution set of equation (1.2) around the pair(h₀, u₀) by means of the implicit function theorem or by localbifurcation theorems in a Banach space setting.     

Uniform l1 behaviour for time discretization of a Volterra equation with completely monotonic kernel: I. stability

This paper is the first of two papers on the time discretizationof the equation u_t + ^t ₀ ß (t — s) Au (s) ds= 0, t > 0, u (0) = u₀, where A is a self-adjoint denselydefined linear operator on a Hilbert space H with a completeeigensystem {_m, _m}_{m = 1}, and ß (t) is completely monotonicand locally integrable, but not constant. The equation is discretizedin time using first-order differences in combination with order-oneconvolution quadrature. The stability properties of the timediscretization are derived in the l¹_t (0, ; H) norm.     

Convergent and spurious solutions of nonlinear elliptic equations

In this paper we investigate finite element approximations ofnonlinear elliptic equations in three dimensions. By applyingand extending the results of Lopez-Marcos and Sanz-Serna, weprove that the finite element approximation on a mesh of sizeh, has a solution U_k which converges to an exact solution ofthe differential equation as h0. This solution is unique withina suitably defined stability ball Bh. For the particular nonlinearequation u + (u + u^p) we show that the size of B_h depends uponh only if p > 5 when it tends to zero as h 0. In this casewe prove the existence of spurious solutions V_h of the Galerkinapproximation which become unbounded in the maximum norm ash0. The stability ball B_h then acts to separate the convergentand the spurious solutions. We present the results of some numericalexperiments to substantiate our claims.     

A reverse Denjoy theorem

Suppose that C₁ and C₂ are two simple curves joining 0 to ,non-intersecting in the finite plane except at 0 and enclosinga domain D which is such that, for all large r, has measure at most 2, where 0 < < .Suppose also that u is a non-constant subharmonic function inthe plane such that u(z) = B(|z|, u) for all large z C₁ C₂.Let A_D(r, u) = inf { u(z):z D and | z | = r }. It is shownthat if A_D(r, u) = O(1) (or A_D(r, u) = o(B(r, u))), then lim_r B(r, u)/r^/2 > 0 (or lim_r log B(r, u)/log r /2).     

Best Approximation with Coefficient Constraints

For given = (₁,..., _n) and ß = (ß₁,...,ß_n), with – _i < ß_i (i = 1, ...,n) and continuous functions u₁,...,u_n, set This paper is concerned with best approximating continuous functions,in the uniform norm, from U(; ß). We exactly characterizethe u₁,..., u_n for which the best approximant to every continuousfunction is unique. We also present a general theorem characterizingall best approximants. When (u₁,..., u_n) is a Descartes, ora weak Descartes, system on [0, 1], explicit characterizationsof the best approximants in terms of equioscillations are given.These results are applied to spline spaces. They are also usedto complete the characterizations in certain specific examplespreviously considered in the literature.     

Exponential stability and maximal attractors for a one-dimensional nonlinear thermoviscoelasticity

This paper is concerned with the global existence, exponentialstability of solutions and associated nonlinear C₀-semigroupas well as the existence of maximal attractors in Hⁱ (i = 1,2, 4) for a nonlinear one-dimensional thermoviscoelasticitydescribing a kind of solid-like material. Some new ideas andmore delicated estimates are employed to prove the global existenceand exponential stability of solutions. The important featurefor the existence of maximal attractors in Hⁱ₊ (i = 1, 2, 4)is that the metric spaces H¹₊, H²₊ and H⁴₊ we work with arethree incomplete metric spaces, as can be seen from the physicalconstraints, i.e. > 0 and u > 0, with and u being absolutetemperature and deformation gradient (strain). For any positiveparameters ₁, ₂, ..., ₅ verifying some conditions, a sequenceof closed subspaces Hⁱ Hⁱ+ (i = 1, 2, 4) is found, and theexistence of maximal attractors in Hⁱ (i = 1, 2, 4) is established.     

Controllability of a system of parabolic equations with non-diagonal diffusion matrix

In this paper we give a necessary and sufficient algebraic conditionfor the approximate controllability of the following systemof parabolic equations with Dirichlet boundary condition: {z_t = D z + b₁(x)u₁ + ··· + b_m(x)u_m, t 0, z ⁿ, z = 0, on where is a sufficiently smooth bounded domain in ^N, b_i L²(;ⁿ), the control functions u_i L²(0, t₁; ); i = 1, 2, ..., mand D is an n x n non-diagonal matrix whose eigenvalues aresemi-simple with positive real part. This algebraic conditionis checkable since it is given in terms of the n_j x m matricesDP_j and P_jB, i.e. Rank [P_jBDP_jBD²P_jB··· D^n_j–1 P_jB]= n_j, where P_jBu = P_jb₁u₁ + ··· + P_jb_mu_m. Finally,this result can be applied to those systems of partial differentialequations that can be rewritten as a diffusion system (see deOliveira, 1998).     

A note on least-squares mixed finite elements in relation to standard and mixed finite elements

^** Email: brandts{at}science.uva.nl The least-squares mixed finite-element method for second-orderelliptic problems yields an approximation u_h V_h H₀¹() of thepotential u together with an approximation p_{h h} H(div ; )of the vector field p = – Au. Comparing u_h with the standardfinite-element approximation of u in V_h, and p_h with the mixedfinite-element approximation of p, it turns out that they arehigher-order perturbations of each other. In other words, theyare ‘superclose’. Refined a priori bounds and superconvergenceresults can now be proved. Also, the local mass conservationerror is of higher order than could be concluded from the standarda priori analysis.     

On approximation theorems for controllability of non-linear parabolic problems

^** Email: anil{at}math.iitb.ac.in^*** Email: mcj{at}math.iitb.ac.in^**** Email: akp{at}math.iitb.ac.in In this paper, we consider the following control system governedby the non-linear parabolic differential equation of the form: [graphic: see PDF] where A is a linear operator with dense domain and f(t, y)is a non-linear function. We have proved that under Lipschitzcontinuity assumption on the non-linear function f(t, y), theset of admissible controls is non-empty. The optimal pair (u^*,y^*) is then obtained as the limit of the optimal pair sequence{(u_n^*, y_n^*)}, where u_n^* is a minimizer of the unconstrainedproblem involving a penalty function arising from the controllabilityconstraint and y_n^* is the solution of the parabolic non-linearsystem defined above. Subsequently, we give approximation theoremswhich guarantee the convergence of the numerical schemes tooptimal pair sequence. We also present numerical experimentwhich shows the applicability of our result.