The Instability of Nonmonotonic Wave Solutions of Parabolic Equations

We consider the class of equations u_t=f(u_xx, u_x, u) under the restriction that for all a,b,c. We first consider this equation over the unbounded domain ? ∞ < x < + ∞, and we show that very nearly every bounded nonmonotonic solution of the form u(t, x)=?(x?ct) is unstable to all nonnegative and all nonpositive perturbations. We then extend these results to nonmonotonic plane wave solutions u(t, x, y)=?(x?ct) of u_t = F(u_xx, u_xy, u_x, u_y, u). Finally, we consider the class of equations u_t=f(u_xx, u_x, u) over the bounded domain 0 < x < 1 with the boundary conditions u(t, x)=A at x=0 and u(t, x)=B at x=1, and we find the stability of all steady solutions u(t, x)=?(x).     

Solution of mixed problems with boundary elastic-force control for the telegraph equation

In terms of a finite-energy generalized solution of the telegraph equation, for any time interval T, we consider the problem on the boundary elastic-force control u _x (0, t) = μ(t) at the endpoint x = 0 for the process described by the Klein-Gordon-Fock equation under the condition that the other endpoint x = l is either fixed, or free, or is controlled by an elastic force. For any time interval T, we obtain the solution u(x, t) in closed form.     

Envelope viscosity solutions of first- and second-order PDEs with u-dependence

General envelope methods are introduced which may be used to embed equations with u-dependence into equations without solution dependence. Furthermore, these methods present a rigorous way to consider so-called nodal solutions. That is, if w(t,x,z) is the viscosity solution of some pde, the nodal solution of an associated pde is a function u(t,x) so that w(t,x,u(t,x)) = 0. Examples are given to first- and second-order pdes arising in optimal control, differential games, minimal time problems, scalar conservation laws, geometric-type equations, and forward backward stochastic control.     

Parabolic Schemes for Quasi-Linear Parabolic and Hyperbolic PDEs via Stochastic Calculus

We consider two quasi-linear initial-value Cauchy problems on ? ^d : a parabolic system and an hyperbolic one. They both have a first order non-linearity of the form φ(t, x, u)·?u, a forcing term h(t, x, u) and an initial condition u ₀ ∈ L ^∞(? ^d ) ∩ C ^∞(? ^d ), where φ (resp. h) is smooth and locally (resp. globally) Lipschitz in u uniformly in (t, x). We prove the existence of a unique global strong solution for the parabolic system. We show the existence of a unique local strong solution for the hyperbolic one and we give a lower bound regarding its blow up time. In both cases, we do not use weak solution theory but a direct construction based on parabolic schemes studied via a stochastic approach and a regularity result for sequences of parabolic operators. The result on the hyperbolic problem is performed by means of a non-classical vanishing viscosity method.     

Removable singularities of weak solutions to the navier-stokes equations

Consider the Navier-Stokes equations in Ω×(0,T), where Ω is a domain in R³. We show that there is an absolute constant ε₀ such that ever, y weak solution u with the property that Sup_tε(a,b)|u(t)|_L(D)≤ε0 is necessarily of class C^∞ in the space-time variables on any compact suhset of D × (a,b) , where D?? and 0 a<b<T. As an application. we prove that if the weak solution u behaves around (x_o, t_o) εΩ×(o,T) 1ike u(x, t) = o(|x - xo|^-1) as x→x ₀ uniforlnly in t in some neighbourliood of t_o, then (x_o,t_o) is actually a removable singularity of u.     

On solutions to the Degasperis-Procesi equation

In this paper we consider a new integrable equation (the Degasperis-Procesi equation) derived recently by Degasperis and Procesi (1999) [3]. Analogous to the Camassa-Holm equation, this new equation admits blow-up phenomenon and infinite propagation speed. First, we give a proof for the blow-up criterion established by Zhou (2004) in [12]. Then, infinite propagation speed for the Degasperis-Procesi equation is proved in the following sense: the corresponding solution u(x,t) with compactly supported initial datum u₀(x) does not have compact x-support any longer in its lifespan. Moreover, we show that for any fixed time t>0 in its lifespan, the corresponding solution u(x,t) behaves as: u(x,t)=L(t)e−x for x?1, and u(x,t)=l(t)ex for x?−1, with a strictly increasing function L(t)>0 and a strictly decreasing function l(t)<0 respectively.     

On the existence of shock fronts for a Burgers equation with a singular source term

In this paper we consider the Cauchy problem for the equation ∂u/∂t + u ∂u/∂x + u/x = 0 for x > 0, t ⩾ 0, with u(x, 0) = u⁰₋(x) for x < x₀, u(x, 0) = u⁰₊(x) for x > x₀, u⁰₋(x₀) > u⁰₊(x₀). Following the ideas of Majda, 1984 and Lax, 1973, we construct, for smooth u⁰₋ and u⁰₊, a global shock front weak solution u(x, t) = u₋(x, t) for x < ϕ(t), u(x, t) = u₊(x, t) for x > ϕ(t), where u₋ and u₊ are the strong solutions corresponding (respectively) to u⁰₋ and u⁰₊ and the curve t → ϕ(t) is defined by dϕ/dt (t) = 1/2[u₋(ϕ(t), t) + u₊(ϕ(t), t)], t ⩾ 0 and ϕ(0) = x₀. © 1998 B. G. Teubner Stuttgart—John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Homogenization of Hamilton‐Jacobi‐Bellman equations with respect to time‐space shifts in a stationary ergodic medium

We consider a family {u_? (t, x, ω)}, ? < 0, of solutions to the equation ?u_?/?t + ?Δu_?/2 + H (t/?, x/?, ?u_?, ω) = 0 with the terminal data u_?(T, x, ω) = U(x). Assuming that the dependence of the Hamiltonian H(t, x, p, ω) on time and space is realized through shifts in a stationary ergodic random medium, and that H is convex in p and satisfies certain growth and regularity conditions, we show the almost sure locally uniform convergence, in time and space, of u_?(t, x, ω) as ? → 0 to the solution u(t, x) of a deterministic averaged equation ?u/?t + H?(?u) = 0, u(T, x) = U(x). The “effective” Hamiltonian H? is given by a variational formula. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The nonlinear heat equation with absorption: Effects of variable coefficients

We consider the nonnegative solutions to the nonlinear degenerate parabolic equation u_t = (D(x, t)u^{m − 1}u_x)_x − b(x, t)u^p with m > 1, 0 < p < 1, and positive D(x, t), b(x, t). After obtaining the uniqueness and Hölder regularity results, we investigate the dependence of such phenomena as extinction in finite time and instantaneous shrinking of the support on the behaviour of D(x, t) and b(x, t).     

Convergence of the Dirichlet solutions of the very fast diffusion equation

For any −1<m<0, positive functions f, g and u₀≥0, we prove that under some mild conditions on f, g and u₀ as R→∞ the solution u^R of the Dirichlet problem u_t=(u^m/m)_xx in (−R,R)×(0,∞), u(R,t)=(f(t)|m|R)^1/m, u(−R,t)=(g(t)|m|R)^1/m for all t>0, u(x,0)=u₀(x) in (−R,R), converges uniformly on every compact subset of R×(0,T) to the solution of the equation u_t=(u^m/m)_xx in R×(0,T), u(x,0)=u₀(x) in R, which satisfies some mass loss formula on (0,T) where T is the maximal time such that the solution u is positive. We also prove that the solution constructed is equal to the solution constructed in Hui (2007) [15] using approximation by solutions of the corresponding Neumann problem in bounded cylindrical domains.     

Nonlinear equations with unbounded heat conduction and integrable data

We consider a class of quasi-linear diffusion problems involving a matrix A(t,x,u) which blows up for a finite value m of the unknown u. Stationary and evolution equations are studied for L ¹ data. We focus on the case where the solution u can reach the value m. For such problems we introduce a notion of renormalized solutions and we prove the existence of such solutions.      

Blow-up phenomena for a semilinear heat equation with nonlinear boundary condition, I

We consider the blow-up of the solution to a semilinear heat equation with nonlinear boundary condition. We establish conditions on nonlinearities sufficient to guarantee that u(x, t) exists for all time t > 0 as well as conditions on data forcing the solution u(x, t) to blow up at some finite time t*. Moreover, an upper bound for t* is derived. Under somewhat more restrictive conditions, lower bounds for t* are also derived.     

A stability analysis for a semilinear parabolic partial differential equation

We consider a parabolic partial differential equation u_t = u_xx + f(u), where ? ∞ < x < + ∞ and 0 < t < + ∞. Under suitable hypotheses pertaining to f, we exhibit a class of initial data φ(x), ? ∞ < x < + ∞, for which the corresponding solutions u(x, t) approach zero as t → + ∞. This convergence is uniform with respect to x on any compact subinterval of the real axis.     

A Threshold Result for a Non-local Parabolic Equation

In this paper, we consider the Cauchy problem: (ECP) u_t−Δu+p(x)u=u(x,t)∫u²(y,t)/∣x−y∣dy; x∈ℝ³, t>0, u(x, 0)=u₀(x)⩾0 x∈ℝ³, (0.2) The stationary problem for (ECP) is the famous Choquard–Pekar problem, and it has a unique positive solution ū(x) as long as p(x) is radial, continuous in ℝ³, p(x)⩾ā>0, and lim_{∣x∣→∞}p(x)=p¯>0. In this paper, we prove that if the initial data 0⩽u₀(x)⩽(≢)ū(x), then the corresponding solution u(x, t) exists globally and it tends to the zero steady-state solution as t→∞, if u₀(x)⩾(≢)ū(x), then the solution u(x,t) blows up in finite time. © 1997 B. G. Teubner Stuttgart–John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Semigroup approach for identification of the unknown diffusion coefficient in a quasi‐linear parabolic equation

This article presents a semigroup approach for the mathematical analysis of the inverse coefficient problems of identifying the unknown coefficient k(u(x,t)) in the quasi‐linear parabolic equation u_t(x,t)=(k(u(x,t))u_x(x,t))_x, with Dirichlet boundary conditions u(0,t)=ψ₀, u(1,t)=ψ₁. The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the distinguishability of the input–output mappings Φ[?]:?? →C¹[0,T], Ψ[?]:??→C¹[0,T] via semigroup theory. In this paper, it is shown that if the null space of the semigroup T(t) consists of only zero function, then the input–output mappings Φ[?] and Ψ[?] have the distinguishability property. It is also shown that the types of the boundary conditions and the region on which the problem is defined play an important role in the distinguishability property of these mappings. Moreover, under the light of measured output data (boundary observations) f(t):=k(u(0,t))u_x(0,t) or/and h(t):=k(u(1,t))u_x(1,t), the values k(ψ₀) and k(ψ₁) of the unknown diffusion coefficient k(u(x,t)) at (x,t)=(0,0) and (x,t)=(1,0), respectively, can be determined explicitly. In addition to these, the values k_u(ψ₀) and k_u(ψ₁) of the unknown coefficient k(u(x,t)) at (x,t)=(0,0) and (x,t)=(1,0), respectively, are also determined via the input data. Furthermore, it is shown that measured output data f(t) and h(t) can be determined analytically by an integral representation. Hence the input–output mappings Φ[?]:??→ C¹[0,T], Ψ[?]:??→C¹[0,T] are given explicitly in terms of the semigroup. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fast rate of formation of dead-core for the heat equation with strong absorption and applications to fast blow-up

We consider the dead-core problem for the semilinear heat equation with strong absorption u_t=u_xx–u^p with 0<p<1 and positive boundary values. We investigate the dead-core rate, i.e. the rate at which the solution reaches its first zero. Surprisingly, we find that the dead-core rate is faster than the one given by the corresponding ODE. This stands in sharp contrast with known results for the related extinction, quenching and blow-up problems. Moreover, we find that the dead-core rate is actually quite unstable: the ODE rate can be recovered if the absorption term is replaced by –a(t,x)u^p for a suitable bounded, uniformly positive function a(t,x).The result has some unexpected consequences for blow-up problems with perturbations. Namely, we obtain the conclusion that perturbing the standard semilinear heat equation by a dissipative gradient term may lead to fast blow-up, a phenomenon up to now observed only in supercritical higher dimensional cases for the unperturbed problem. Furthermore, the blow-up rate is found to depend on a very sensitive way on the constant in factor of the perturbation term.Sharp estimates are also obtained for the profiles of dead-core and blow-up. The blow-up profile turns out to be slightly less singular than in the unperturbed case.This work was partially supported by the National Science Council of the Republic of China under the grants NSC 91-2735-M-001-001 and NSC 92-2115-M-003-008.     

Asymptotic behaviour of a Brownian motion on exterior domains

We study the asymptotic behaviour of the transition density of a Brownian motion in ?, killed at ∂?, where ? ^c is a compact non polar set. Our main result concern dimension d = 2, where we show that the transition density p ^? _t (x, y) behaves, for large t, as u(x)u(y)(t(log t)²)⁻¹ for x, y∈?, where u is the unique positive harmonic function vanishing on (∂?) ^r , such that u(x) ∼ log ∣x∣. Received: 29 January 1999 / Revised version: 11 May 1999     

Singular solutions of some nonlinear parabolic equations

We consider the existence and uniqueness of singular solutions for equations of the formu ₁=div(|Du|^p−2 Du)-φu), with initial datau(x, 0)=0 forx⇑0. The function ϕ is a nondecreasing real function such that ϕ(0)=0 andp>2. Under a growth condition on ϕ(u) asu→∞, (H1), we prove that for everyc>0 there exists a singular solution such thatu(x, t)→cδ(x) ast→0. This solution is unique and is called a fundamental solution. Under additional conditions, (H2) and (H3), we show the existence of very singular solutions, i.e. singular solutions such that ∫_|x|≤r u(x,t)dx→∞ ast→0. Finally, for functions ϕ which behave like a power for largeu we prove that the very singular solution is unique. This is our main result. In the case ϕ(u)=u ^q, 1≤q, there are fundamental solutions forq<p*=p-1+(p/N) and very singular solutions forp-1<q<p*. These ranges are optimal. Dedicated to Professor Shmuel Agmon     

Asymptotic preconditioning of linear homogeneous systems of differential equations

We consider the asymptotic behavior of solutions of a linear differential system x^′=A(t)x, where A is continuous on an interval ([a,∞). We are interested in the situation where the system may not have a desirable asymptotic property such as stability, strict stability, uniform stability, or linear asymptotic equilibrium, but its solutions can be written as x=Pu, where P is continuously differentiable on [a,∞) and u is a solution of a system u^′=B(t)u that has the property in question. In this case we say that P preconditions the given system for the property in question.     

A Support Theorem for a Generalized Burgers SPDE

When the initial condition u ₀ to a parabolic Burgers SPDE (containing a quadratic term) belongs to L ^q [0,1],2q, the trajectories of the solution u(t,x) a.s. belong to the space C([0,T],L ^q [0,1]). We characterize the support of the law of u in this space; the proof is based on an approximation of u by a sequence of stochastic processes obtained by replacing the Brownian sheet by linear adapted interpolations.