The number of peaks of nonnegative solutions to some nonlinear degenerate parabolic equations (Q1815468)

The author studies a special problem in connection with the Cauchy problem for the porous medium equation \(u_t-\Delta(u^m)=0\), \(m>\max\{(n-2)/n,0\}\), \(n\geq 1\); and for the evolutionary \(p\)-Laplacian \(u_t-\text{div}(|\nabla u|^{p-2}\nabla u)=0\), \(p>2\) in the one-dimensional case. The initial data \(u_0(x)\) are nonnegative with compact support \(S\). The title is slightly misleading, as he is interested in showing that the number of peaks is precisely one -- to state his results: For \(t>0\), the set of critical points of the solution in the set \(\{u>0\}\) is always contained in the closed convex hull of \(S\); and after some finite time \(T\) this set consists of precisely one point \(x(t)\) for \(t\geq T\) (at which the maximum of \(u\) is attained). In the case of the \(p\)-Laplacian, \(x(t)\) is moreover Hölder continuous with exponent \({1\over p}\). Note hat \((n-2)/n\) is a borderline exponent for the porous medium equation -- if \(m<(n-2)/n\), one has finite extinction [see \textit{P. Benilan} and \textit{M. G. Crandall}, Ind. Univ. Math. J. 30, 161-177 (1981; Zbl 0482.35012)]. For former results on this aspect see e.g. [\textit{D. G. Aronson} and \textit{J. L. Vazquez}, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 99, 329-348 (1987; Zbl 0642.76108)] and further references -- an extensive list is contained in the paper.