Uniqueness for a nonlinear heat equation (Q1309768): Difference between revisions

In this interesting paper the following problem is studied: \[ u_ t = (a(u) u_ x)_ x, \qquad\xi\leq x\leq 1, \quad t>0, \] \[ u(\xi, t) = \psi(t),\;u_ x(\xi,t)= \psi_ 1(t),\;t>0, \qquad u(x,0)= u_ 0(x),\;\xi\leq x\leq 1, \tag{1} \] where \(a(u)\), \(u_ 0(x)\), \(\psi(t)\) and \(\psi_ 1(t)\) are known, \(a(u)\) is smooth, and \(0< a_ 0\leq a(u)\leq a_ 1<\infty\). The author proves uniqueness of the solution to (1) using Carleman-type estimates. Such a result is of interest in inverse problems for the heat equation [see \textit{A. G. Ramm}, Proc. R. Soc. Edinb. Sect. A 123, No. 6, 973-976 (1993; Zbl 0804.35153), where the above problem was posed].