Diffusion in inhomogeneous media: Localization and positivity (Q1078760)

The authors investigate the problem \[ u_ t=(u^ m)_{xx}-a(x)u^ p\quad in\quad R\times R^+;\quad u(x,0)=u_ 0(x)\quad in\quad R, \] where \(m>1\), \(p\geq 1\), \(a\geq 0\) and a locally Lipschitzian, \(u_ 0\geq 0\) and has bounded support. Their main object is to study the support properties of the solution: the latter are described in terms of the two contrasting phenomena of localization and positivity: localization means that the support of the solution u(.,t) is contained in a fixed bounded interval for any t, while positivity prevails when for any x there is a \(T=T(x)\) such that \(u(x,t)>0\) for \(t>T(x)\). (Results in this sense had been proved previously in case \(a=0\) or a is a positive constant). The paper, before establishing detailed conditions for localization, respectively positivity, provides a thorough discussion of the associated stationary equation which is interesting of its own, for such equation, via an obvious change of variables, is equivalent to the Emden-Fowler equation \[ y''(x)-a(x)y(x)^{\beta}=0\quad in\quad R^+\quad with\quad 0<\beta <1, \] which the authors study under the boundary conditions \(y(0)=\gamma\), and \(y'=0\) at infinity. In particular, vanishing of the solution at infinity and boundedness of its support are characterized in terms of \(\gamma\). The proofs, carried out in a rigorous and elegant way, make extensive use of shooting methods and comparison arguments.