Travelling wave solutions of the modified Korteweg-deVries-Burgers equation (Q1346235)

The paper studies the travelling wave solutions (TWS) of the modified Korteweg-de Vries-Burgers equation \[ u_ t + (u^ 3)_ x = \alpha u_{xx} + \beta u_{xxx}, \tag{1} \] where \(\alpha > 0\), \(\beta \in \mathbb{R}\). The interest of the authors is the case when \(\alpha\), \(\beta \to 0\) such that the ratio \(\gamma = \beta/ \alpha^ 2\) remains constant. In this case the TWS of (1) approach a shock wave solution of the scalar conservation law \(u_ t + (u^ 3)_ x = 0\). The authors consider the cases \(\gamma > 0\) and \(\gamma \leq 0\). In the first case they construct shocks that violate the Lax entropy condition and yet are limits of TWS of (1). Also the authors obtain shocks which satisfy the Lax entropy condition for which there is no sequence of approximating TWS of (1). In the second case it is shown that the Lax entropy condition is equivalent to the existence of approximating TWS of (1). The analytic results obtained in the paper are illustrated numerically.