Large-time behavior for conservation laws with source in a bounded domain (Q1970032)

The scalar hyperbolic conservation law with source \(\partial_tu+ \partial_xf(u)= g(x,u)\) is considered on a bounded interval \([0,L]\) with nonhomogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions. These boundary conditions have to be interpreted in the sense that boundary values lie in appropriate sets [see \textit{C. Bardos}, \textit{A. Y. Leroux} and \textit{J. C. Nedelec}, Commun. Partial. Differ. Equ. 4, 1017-1034 (1979; Zbl 0418.35024)]. If the flux \(f\) is convex, the source term \(q\) satisfies some Lipschitz condition, and if the condition \(f'(s)= 0\Rightarrow g(x,s)\neq 0\) holds for all \(x\in [0,L]\) then the existence of an entropy solution can be established. By the method of generalized characteristics, the authors show that the solution either becomes stationary in finite time or possesses a single shock. The evolution of the shock position can be described by an ordinary differential equation. The rest of the paper contains some observations concerning the stability of the steady-state solutions and a generalization to time-dependent boundary conditions.