Hessian estimates in Orlicz spaces for fourth-order parabolic systems in non-smooth domains

We establish the global Hessian estimate in Orlicz spaces for a fourth-order parabolic system with discontinuous tensor coefficients in a non-smooth domain under the assumptions that the coefficients have small weak BMO semi-norms, the boundary of a domain is δ-Reifenberg flat for δ>0 small and the given Young function satisfies some moderate growth condition. As a corollary we obtain an optimal global W2,p regularity for such a system.     

Gradient estimates for Dirichlet parabolic problems in unbounded domains

We consider autonomous parabolic Dirichlet problems in a regular unbounded open set Ω⊂R^N involving second-order operator A with (possibly) unbounded coefficients. We determine new conditions on the coefficients of A yielding global gradient estimates for the bounded classical solution.     

Large time behavior for some nonlinear degenerate parabolic equations

We study the asymptotic behavior of Lipschitz continuous solutions of nonlinear degenerate parabolic equations in the periodic setting. Our results apply to a large class of Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equations. Defining Σ as the set where the diffusion vanishes, i.e., where the equation is totally degenerate, we obtain the convergence when the equation is uniformly parabolic outside Σ and, on Σ, the Hamiltonian is either strictly convex or satisfies an assumption similar of the one introduced by Barles–Souganidis (2000) for first-order Hamilton–Jacobi equations. This latter assumption allows to deal with equations with nonconvex Hamiltonians. We can also release the uniform parabolic requirement outside Σ. As a consequence, we prove the convergence of some everywhere degenerate second-order equations.     

Positive solutions of quasilinear parabolic systems with Dirichlet boundary condition

Coupled systems for a class of quasilinear parabolic equations and the corresponding elliptic systems, including systems of parabolic and ordinary differential equations are investigated. The aim of this paper is to show the existence, uniqueness, and asymptotic behavior of time-dependent solutions. Also investigated is the existence of positive maximal and minimal solutions of the corresponding quasilinear elliptic system. The elliptic operators in both systems are allowed to be degenerate in the sense that the density-dependent diffusion coefficients Di(ui) may have the property Di(0)=0 for some or all i=1,…,N, and the boundary condition is ui=0. Using the method of upper and lower solutions, we show that a unique global classical time-dependent solution exists and converges to the maximal solution for one class of initial functions and it converges to the minimal solution for another class of initial functions; and if the maximal and minimal solutions coincide then the steady-state solution is unique and the time-dependent solution converges to the unique solution. Applications of these results are given to three model problems, including a scalar polynomial growth problem, a coupled system of polynomial growth problem, and a two component competition model in ecology.     

Irreducibility and Mixed Boundary Conditions

In this paper we consider positive semigroups on L^p(Ω) generated by elliptic operators A subject to mixed Dirichlet-Neumann boundary conditions on non-smooth domains Ω. We show in particular that these semigroups as well as those generated by multiplicative perturbations bA of A are irreducible, provided b ∈ L^∞(Ω) is real and satisfies b ≥ δ for some δ > 0. In memoriam Helmut H. Schaefer     

Parabolic equations in time dependent Reifenberg domains

In this paper we define time dependent parabolic Reifenberg domains and study Lp estimates for weak solutions of uniformly parabolic equations in divergence form on these domains. The basic assumption is that the principal coefficients are of parabolic BMO space with small parabolic BMO seminorms. It is shown that Lp estimates hold for time dependent parabolic δ-Reifenberg domains.     

The Calderón-Zygmund property for quasilinear divergence form equations over Reifenberg flat domains

The results by Palagachev (2009) [3] regarding global Hölder continuity for the weak solutions to quasilinear divergence form elliptic equations are generalized to the case of nonlinear terms with optimal growths with respect to the unknown function and its gradient. Moreover, the principal coefficients are discontinuous with discontinuity measured in terms of small BMO norms and the underlying domain is supposed to have fractal boundary satisfying a condition of Reifenberg flatness. The results are extended to the case of parabolic operators as well.     

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.     

Convergence and decay rate to equilibrium of bounded solutions of quasilinear parabolic equations

We study the convergence and decay rate to equilibrium of bounded solutions of the quasilinear parabolic equation

ut−diva(x,∇u)+f(x,u)=0     

Singular and degenerate anisotropic parabolic equations with a nonlinear source

The Dirichlet problem in arbitrary domain for degenerate and singular anisotropic parabolic equations with a nonlinear source term is considered. We state conditions that guarantee the existence and uniqueness of a global weak solution to the problem. A similar result is proved for the parabolic p-Laplace equation.     

Extremal equilibria for monotone semigroups in ordered spaces with application to evolutionary equations

We consider monotone semigroups in ordered spaces and give general results concerning the existence of extremal equilibria and global attractors. We then show some applications of the abstract scheme to various evolutionary problems, from ODEs and retarded functional differential equations to parabolic and hyperbolic PDEs. In particular, we exhibit the dynamical properties of semigroups defined by semilinear parabolic equations in RN with nonlinearities depending on the gradient of the solution. We consider as well systems of reaction-diffusion equations in RN and provide some results concerning extremal equilibria of the semigroups corresponding to damped wave problems in bounded domains or in RN. We further discuss some nonlocal and quasilinear problems, as well as the fourth order Cahn-Hilliard equation.     

Asymptotic stability for a free boundary problem arising in a tumor model

We consider a tumor model in which all cells are proliferating at a rate μ and their density is proportional to the nutrient concentration. The model consists of a coupled system of an elliptic equation and a parabolic equation, with the tumor boundary as a free boundary. It is known that for an appropriate choice of parameters, there exists a unique spherically symmetric stationary solution with radius RS which is independent of μ. It was recently proved that there is a function μ_∗(RS) such that the spherical stationary solution is linearly stable if μ<μ_∗(RS) and linearly unstable if μ>μ_∗(RS). In this paper we prove that the spherical stationary solution is nonlinearly stable (or, asymptotically stable) if μ<μ_∗(RS).     

Generalized convexity and the existence of finite time blow-up solutions for an evolutionary problem

In this paper we study a class of nonlinearities for which a nonlocal parabolic equation with Neumann-Robin boundary conditions, for p-Laplacian, has finite time blow-up solutions.     

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→∞.     

Abelian groups with a vanishing homology group

An abelian group A is called absolutely abelian, if in every central extension N ? G ? A the group G is also abelian. The abelian group A is absolutely abelian precisely when the Schur multiplicator H₂A vanished. These groups, and more generally groups with H_nA = 0 for some n, are characterized by elementary internal properties. (Here H₁A denotes the integral homology of A.) The cases of even n and odd n behave strikingly different. There are 2^?ο different isomorphism types of abelian groups A with reduced torsion subgroup satisfying H_2nA = 0. The major tools are direct limit arguments and the Lyndon-Hochschild-Serre (L-H-S) spectral sequence, but the treatment of absolutely abelian groups does not use spectral sequences. All differentials d^r for r ≥ 2 in the L-H-S spectral sequence of a pure abelian extension vanish. Included is a proof of the folklore theorem, that homology of groups commutes with direct limits also in the group variable, and a discussion of the L-H-S spectral sequence for direct limits.     

Fine regularity for elliptic and parabolic anisotropic Robin problems with variable exponents

We investigate a class of quasi-linear elliptic and parabolic anisotropic problems with variable exponents over a general class of bounded non-smooth domains, which may include non-Lipschitz domains, such as domains with fractal boundary and rough domains. We obtain solvability and global regularity results for both the elliptic and parabolic Robin problem. Some a priori estimates, as well as fine properties for the corresponding nonlinear semigroups, are established. As a consequence, we generalize the global regularity theory for the Robin problem over non-smooth domains by extending it for the first time to the variable exponent case, and furthermore, to the anisotropic variable exponent case.     

A Gamma-convergence argument for the blow-up of a non-local semilinear parabolic equation with Neumann boundary conditions

In this paper we study a simple non-local semilinear parabolic equation in a bounded domain with Neumann boundary conditions. We obtain a global existence result for initial data whose L^∞$L^{\infty }$-norm is less than a constant depending explicitly on the geometry of the domain. A natural energy is associated to the equation and we establish a relationship between the finite-time blow up of solutions and the negativity of their energy. The proof of this result is based on a Gamma-convergence technique.     

Existence and uniqueness of a solution for a two dimensional nonlinear inverse diffusion problem

The problem of identifying the coefficient in a square porous medium is considered. It is shown that under certain conditions of data f,g, and for a properly specified class A of admissible coefficients, there exists at least one a∈A such that (a,u) is a solution of the corresponding inverse problem.     

Periodic solutions for doubly nonlinear evolution equations

We discuss the existence of periodic solution for the doubly nonlinear evolution equation A(u^′(t))+∂?(u(t))∋f(t) governed by a maximal monotone operator A and a subdifferential operator ∂? in a Hilbert space H. As the corresponding Cauchy problem cannot be expected to be uniquely solvable, the standard approach based on the Poincaré map may genuinely fail. In order to overcome this difficulty, we firstly address some approximate problems relying on a specific approximate periodicity condition. Then, periodic solutions for the original problem are obtained by establishing energy estimates and by performing a limiting procedure. As a by-product, a structural stability analysis is presented for the periodic problem and an application to nonlinear PDEs is provided.