A highly accurate numerical solution of a biharmonic equation

The coefficients for a nine–point high–order accuracy discretization scheme for a biharmonic equation ∇ ⁴u = f(x, y) (∇² is the two–dimensional Laplacian operator) are derived. The biharmonic problem is defined on a rectangular domain with two types of boundary conditions: (1) u and ∂²u/∂n² or (2) u and ∂u/part;n (where ∂/part;n is the normal to the boundary derivative) are specified at the boundary. For both considered cases, the truncation error for the suggested scheme is of the sixth-order O(h⁶) on a square mesh (h_x = h_y = h) and of the fourth-order O(h⁴_xh²_xh²_y h⁴_y) on an unequally spaced mesh. The biharmonic equation describes the deflection of loaded plates. The advantage of the suggested scheme is demonstrated for solving problems of the deflection of rectangular plates for cases of different boundary conditions: (1) a simply supported plate and (2) a plate with built-in edges. In order to demonstrate the high–order accuracy of the method, the numerical results are compared with exact solutions. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 13: 375–391, 1997     

Regularity of the Interfaces with Sign Changes of Solutions of the One-Dimensional Porous Medium Equation

In previous papers we considered the Cauchy problem for the one-dimensional evolution p-Laplacian equation for nonzero, bounded, and nonnegative initial data having compact support, and showed that after a finite time the set of spatial critical points of the nonnegative solution u=u(x, t) in {u>0} consists of one point, the spatial maximum point of u, and the curve of the spatial maximum points is continuous with respect to the time variable. Since the spatial derivative ∂_xu satisfies the porous medium equation with sign changes, the curve of the spatial maximum points is regarded as an interface with sign changes of ∂_xu. On the other hand, in a paper by M. Bertsch and D. Hilhorst (1991, Appl. Anal.41, 111-130) the interfaces where the solutions change their sign were studied in detail for the initial-boundary value problems of the generalized porous medium equation over two-dimensional cylinders. But the monotonicity of the initial data is assumed there. As is noted in Section 4 of our earlier work (1996, J. Math. Anal. Appl.203, 78-103), the monotonicity of ∂_xu(?, t) in some neighborhood of the spatial maximum point of u(?, t) cannot be assumed, and therefore, if this monotonicity for some large t>0 is proved, then by the method of Bertsch and Hilhorst (cited above) one may get more precise regularity properties of the curve of the spatial maximum points. The purpose of the present paper is twofold. One is to remove some monotonicity assumption for initial data in Bertsch and Hilhorst's theorem concerning the regularity of the interfaces with sign changes of solutions of the one-dimensional generalized porous medium equation. By comparing the solution with appropriate symmetric nonnegative solutions we shall get the monotonicity of the solution near the interface after a finite time. The other is as a by-product of the method to get C¹ regularity of the curves of the spatial maximum points of nonnegative solutions of the Cauchy problem for the evolution p-Laplacian equation for sufficiently large t.     

A construction of real weight functions for certain orthogonal polynomials in two variables

H.L. Krall and I.M. Sheffer considered the problem of classifying certain second-order partial differential equations having an algebraically complete, weak orthogonal bivariate polynomial system of solutions. Two of the equations that they considered are

(x²+y)uxx+2xyuxy+y²uyy+gxux+g(y−1)uy=λu,     

A new off-step high order approximation for the solution of three-space dimensional nonlinear wave equations

In this paper, we propose a new high accuracy numerical method of O(k² + k²h² + h⁴) based on off-step discretization for the solution of 3-space dimensional non-linear wave equation of the form u_tt = A(x,y,z,t)u_xx + B(x,y,z,t)u_yy + C(x,y,z,t)u_zz + g(x,y,z,t,u,u_x,u_y,u_z,u_t), 0 < x,y,z < 1,t > 0 subject to given appropriate initial and Dirichlet boundary conditions, where k > 0 and h > 0 are mesh sizes in time and space directions respectively. We use only seven evaluations of the function g as compared to nine evaluations of the same function discussed in  and . We describe the derivation procedure in details of the algorithm. The proposed numerical algorithm is directly applicable to wave equation in polar coordinates and we do not require any fictitious points to discretize the differential equation. The proposed method when applied to a telegraphic equation is also shown to be unconditionally stable. Comparative numerical results are provided to justify the usefulness of the proposed method.     

Multiple positive solutions to a singular boundary value problem for a superlinear Emden-Fowler equation

A multiplicity result for the singular ordinary differential equation y^″+λx⁻²yσ=0, posed in the interval (0,1), with the boundary conditions y(0)=0 and y(1)=γ, where σ>1, λ>0 and γ?0 are real parameters, is presented. Using a logarithmic transformation and an integral equation method, we show that there exists Σ^?∈(0,σ/2] such that a solution to the above problem is possible if and only if λγσ−1?Σ^?. For 0<λγσ−1<Σ^?, there are multiple positive solutions, while if γ=(λ⁻¹Σ^?)^1/(σ−1) the problem has a unique positive solution which is monotonic increasing. The asymptotic behavior of y(x) as x→⁰⁺ is also given, which allows us to establish the absence of positive solution to the singular Dirichlet elliptic problem −Δu=d⁻²(x)uσ in Ω, where Ω⊂RN, N?2, is a smooth bounded domain and d(x)=dist(x,∂Ω).     

On the dependence of the reflection operator on boundary conditions for biharmonic functions

The biharmonic equation arises in areas of continuum mechanics including linear elasticity theory and the Stokes flows, as well as in a radar imaging problem. We discuss the reflection formulas for the biharmonic functions u(x,y)∈R² subject to different boundary conditions on a real-analytic curve in the plane. The obtained formulas, generalizing the celebrated Schwarz symmetry principle for harmonic functions, have different structures. In particular, in the special case of the boundary, Γ₀:={y=0}, reflections are point-to-point when the given on Γ₀ conditions are u=n_∂u=0, u=Δu=0 or n_∂u=n_∂Δu=0, and point to a continuous set when u=n_∂Δu=0 or n_∂u=Δu=0 on Γ₀.     

Blow-up problem for semilinear heat equation with absorption and a nonlocal boundary condition

In this paper we consider a semilinear parabolic equation u_t=Δu−c(x,t)u^p for (x,t)∈Ω×(0,∞) with nonlinear and nonlocal boundary condition u∣_{∂Ω×(0,∞)}=∫_Ωk(x,y,t)u^ldy and nonnegative initial data where p>0 and l>0. We prove some global existence results. Criteria on this problem which determine whether the solutions blow up in finite time for large or for all nontrivial initial data are also given.     

Boundary regularity for viscosity solutions to degenerate elliptic PDEs

Sufficient conditions are given for the solutions to the (fully nonlinear, degenerate) elliptic equation F(x,u,Du,D²u)=0 in Ω to satisfy |u(x)−u(y)|?Cα|x−y| for some α∈(0,1) when x∈Ω and y∈∂Ω.     

Diophantine equations with products of consecutive terms in Lucas sequences

In this paper, we show that if (u_n)_n?1 is a Lucas sequence, then the Diophantine equation in integers n?1, k?1, m?2 and y with |y|>1 has only finitely many solutions. We also determine all such solutions when (u_n)_n?1 is the sequence of Fibonacci numbers and when u_n=(xⁿ-1)/(x-1) for all n?1 with some integer x>1.     

On power series representing solutions of the one-dimensional time-independent Schrödinger equation

For the equation χ″(x) = u(x)χ(x) with infinitely smooth u(x), the general solution χ(x) is found in the form of a power series. The coefficients of the series are expressed via all derivatives u ^(m)(y) of the function u(x) at a fixed point y. Examples of solutions for particular functions u(x) are considered.     

Optimal interval lengths for nonlocal boundary value problems associated with third order Lipschitz equations

For the third order differential equation, y^?=f(x,y,y^′,y^″), where f(x,y₁,y₂,y₃) is Lipschitz continuous in terms of yi, i=1,2,3, we obtain optimal bounds on the length of intervals on which there exist unique solutions of certain nonlocal three and four point boundary value problems. These bounds are obtained through an application of the Pontryagin Maximum Principle from the theory of optimal control.     

Morse index of layered solutions to the heterogeneous Allen-Cahn equation

Let u? be a single layered radially symmetric unstable solution of the Allen-Cahn equation −?²Δu=u(u−a(|x|))(1−u) over the unit ball with Neumann boundary conditions. We estimate the small eigenvalues of the linearized eigenvalue problem at u? when ? is small. As a consequence, we prove that the Morse index of u? is asymptotically given by [μ^∗+o(1)]?−(N−1)/2 with μ^∗ a certain positive constant expressed in terms of parameters determined by the Allen-Cahn equation. Our estimates on the small eigenvalues have many other applications. For example, they may be used in the search of other non-radially symmetric solutions, which will be considered in forthcoming papers.     

Properties of the period function for some Hamiltonian systems and homogeneous solutions of a semilinear elliptic equation

In this work we study the period function T of solutions to the conservative equation x^″(t)+f(x(t))=0. We present conditions on f that imply the monotonicity and convexity of T. As a consequence we obtain the criterium established by C. Chicone and find conditions easier to apply. We also get a condition obtained by Cima, Gasull and Mañosas about monotonicity and, following some of their calculations, present results on the period function of Hamiltonian systems where H(x,y)=F(x)+n^-1|y|ⁿ. Using the monotonicity of T, we count the homogeneous solutions to the semilinear elliptic equation Δu=γu^γ-1 in two dimensions.     

On the Obstruction to Linearizability of Second-Order Ordinary Differential Equations

In this paper, we investigate the action of the pseudogroup of all point transformations on the bundle of equations y″=u ⁰(x,y)+u ¹(x,y)y′+u ²(x,y)(y′)²+u ³(x,y)(y′)³. We calculate the 1st nontrivial differential invariant of this action. It is a horizontal differential 2-form with values in some algebra, it is defined on the bundle of 2-jets of sections of the bundle under consideration. We prove that this form is a unique obstruction to linearizability of these equations by point transformations.     

On p−q=c and related three term exponential Diophantine equations with prime bases

Using a theorem on linear forms in logarithms, we show that the equation p^x−2^y=p^u−2^v has no solutions (p,x,y,u,v) with x≠u, where p is a positive prime and x,y,u, and v are positive integers, except for four specific cases, or unless p is a Wieferich prime greater than 10¹⁵. More generally, we obtain a similar result for p^x−q^y=p^u−q^v>0 where q is a positive prime, . We solve a question of Edgar showing there is at most one solution (x,y) to p^x−q^y=2^h for positive primes p and q and positive integer h. Finally, we use elementary methods to show that, with a few explicitly listed exceptions, there are at most two solutions (x,y) to |p^x±q^y|=c and at most two solutions (x,y,z) to p^x±q^y±2^z=0, for given positive primes p and q and integer c.     

A note on gradient blowup rate of the inhomogeneous hamilton-jacobi equations

The gradient blowup of the equation u_t = Δu + a(x)|∇u|^p + h(x), where p > 2, is studied. It is shown that the gradient blowup rate will never match that of the self-similar variables. The exact blowup rate for radial solutions is established under the assumptions on the initial data so that the solution is monotonically increasing in time.     

Spike solutions of a nonlinear Schrödinger equation with degenerate potential

We study the existence of positive solutions to the elliptic equation ε²Δu(x,y)−V(y)u(x,y)+f(u(x,y))=0 for (x,y) in an unbounded domain subject to the boundary condition u=0 whenever is nonempty. Our potential V depends only on the y variable and is a bounded or unbounded domain which may coincide with . The positive parameter ε is tending to zero and our solutions u_ε concentrate along minimum points of the unbounded manifold of critical points of V.     

Pseudo-linear superposition principle for the Monge-Ampère equation based on generated pseudo-operations

Through this paper, we consider generated pseudo-operations of the following form: x⊕y=g⁻¹(g(x)+g(y)), x⊙y=g⁻¹(g(x)g(y)), where g is a continuous generating function. Pseudo-linear superposition principle, i.e., the superposition principle with this type of pseudo-operations in the core, for the Monge-Ampère equation is investigated.