The porous medium equation as a finite-speed approximation to a Hamilton- Jacobi equation (Q1097411)

The authors study the initial problem for \(u_ t-(u^ m)_{xx}=0\), \(x\in R\), \(t\geq 0\). By the transformation \(v=mu^{m-1}/(m-1)\) this equation goes over to \[ (1)\quad v_ t-(m-1)vv_{xx}-v^ 2_ x=0 \] and the authors show that for \(m\downarrow 1\) solution v converges to the solution w of (2) \(w_ t-(w_ x)^ 2=0\). Both equations (1) and (2) have the finite speed of propagation of disturbances.