Pointwise estimates and stability for dispersive-diffusive shock waves (Q1592610)

The authors examine the stability of traveling wave solutions of a scalar viscous conservation law \[ u_t + f(u)_x =(b(u)u_x)_x +u_{xxx} \] with constant dispersion. Linearizing this equation along a profile one arrives at a linear equation and its associated eigenvalue problem. The Green functions of the corresponding (non-sectorial) operators are studied in great detail. A new method called ``instantaneous projection'' is introduced to unify the case of Lax and undercompressive shock waves. This results in a stability criterion for viscous shock waves in \(L^p\). In the case of stability, the decay rate of the perturbations can be estimated, too. The authors point out the interesting fact that in the scalar case this allows to give conditions under which nonlinear stability holds. Obviously, it is not an easy task for the reader to follow the authors through an 90-page article. Nevertheless, the authors try to point out the main steps and technical difficulties, such that one can benefit from the paper without following all the long and tedious calculations.