Asymptotic analysis of quenching problems (Q1201206)

Let \(\Omega\subset \mathbb{R}^ n\) be a bounded domain with smooth boundary and let \(\alpha>0\). Consider the problem \[ u_ t- \Delta u=- u^{- \alpha}\text{ in }(0,T)\times \Omega,\;u=1\text{ on } (0,T)\times \partial\Omega,\;u(0,x)= u_ 0(x). \] Here \(0< u_ 0(x)\leq 1\) is assumed and we assume that \(u\) quenches at time \(T< \infty\). In the present paper we derive some asymptotic estimates for \(u\) near the point \((T,0)\) in which \(u\) is supposed to quench. They are of the type \[ \min_{x\in \Omega} u(t,x)\leq [(1+\alpha)(T- t)]^{1/(1+\alpha)},\;u(t,x)\geq C_ 1(T- t)^{1/(1+\alpha)}, \] \[ u(T,r)\leq C_ 2 r^{2/(1+\alpha)}\quad\text{ for }\alpha<1,\;u(t,r)\geq C_ 3 r^{2/(1+\gamma)}\quad\text{ for }0< \gamma<\alpha. \]