Mathematical study of a nonlinear transport-diffusion problem related to muscle contraction (Q1174354)

The authors consider a class of nonlocal initial-boundary value problem involving a transport-diffusion process. More precisely, they consider a system of the form \[ \begin{aligned} u_ t-(\varepsilon(x)u_ x)_ x+\dot z(t)u_ x &=\varphi(x,t,z(t),u),\quad (x,t)\in[-1,1]\times[0,T],\\ z(t) &=L(\int_{-1}^ 1\omega(x)u(x,t)dx),\quad t\in[0,T], \end{aligned} \] with boundary conditions \({u(-1,t)}={u(1,t)=0}\) and the initial condition \(u(x,0)=u_ 0\). Here, \(\varepsilon: [-1,1]\to\mathbb{R}\) is a strictly positive function, \(\varphi\) is Lipschitz with respect to \(z(t)\) and \(u\), \(\omega: [-1,1]\to\mathbb{R}\) is a weight function and \(L: (a,b)\to\mathbb{R}\) is a smooth strictly decreasing function. This model is related to the so- called cross-bridge mechanism in muscle contraction and the novelty is the presence of the term \(\dot z u_ x\) involving the nonlocal \(\dot z(t)\) which contains the time derivative of \(u\). By using fixed-point techniques, they prove a global uniqueness and a small-time existence result. The question of global existence of the solution remains open in their approach.