Geometric theory of one-dimensional nonlinear parabolic equations. I: Singular interfaces (Q1407730)

The author studies the free boundary problems for nonlinear parabolic equations with strong singularities: \[ u_t=F(u,u_x,u_{xx}),\quad x\in {\mathbb{R}}^1, \;t>0;\;u(x,0)=u_0(x)\geq 0, \] where the function \(F(p,q,r)\) is smooth for \(p>0\), satisfies the parabolicity condition \(F_r(p,q,r)>0\) for \(p>0\) and, in general, is not defined (singular) at \(p=0\). A proper maximal solution \(u(x,t)\geq 0\) is the limit of a monotone decreasing sequence of smooth strictly positive solutions of the regularized problems, which are assumed to be well-posed. The solution exhibits finite interface propagation on the singular level \(\{u=0\}\). The proposed geometric theory reduces the study of the PDE to a family of ODEs. It is shown that existence, Bernstein-type gradient estimates, moduli of continuity, interface regularity, the interface equation, etc. are directly connected with the family of ODEs associated with the nonlinear PDE. For the autonomous PDEs it is connected with a complete set \(B=\{V\}\) of particular travelling wave solutions \(V(x,t)=f(x-\lambda t)\), where \(f(\xi)\) solves corresponding ODE with a parameter \(\lambda \in {\mathbb R}\). The proofs rely on intersection comparison techniques of the solution \(u(x,t)\) with the family \(B\) which are based on the classical Sturm Theorem on zero sets for linear parabolic equation. As application, interface equation and new regularity properties are obtained for several types of the quasi-linear and fully nonlinear equation from combustion, filtration and detonation theory.