Evolving Graphs by Singular Weighted Curvature

A new notion of solutions is introduced to study degenerate nonlinear parabolic equations in one space dimension whose diffusion effect is so strong at particular slopes of the unknowns that the equation is no longer a partial differential equation. By extending the theory of viscosity solutions, a comparison principle is established. For periodic continuous initial data a unique global continuous solution (periodic in space) is constructed. The theory applies to motion of interfacial curves by crystalline energy or more generally by anisotropic interfacial energy with corners when the curves are the graphs of functions. Even if the driving force term (homogeneous in space) exists, the initial-value problem is solvable for general nonadmissible continuous (periodic) initial data. (Accepted July 5, 1996)