The strong maximum principle in parabolic problems with the \(p\)-Laplacian in a domain (Q311762)

The authors consider the initial-boundary value problem for the quasilinear parabolic equation \[ \frac{\partial}{\partial t}b(u)-\Delta_p u=f \] with \(1<p<2\). Under the assumption that \(\lim_{s\to 0}\frac{s^{2-p}b'(s)}{|\log s|^{p-1}}=0\), for nonnegative initial condition \(u_0\not\equiv 0\), the solution is either positive everywhere or vanishes identically. This property is a kind of strong maximum principle, and implies the infinite speed of propagation. It is worth noting that in the case \(p>2\) solutions with compact support in the domain exist, so that the speed of propagation is finite.