The principal spectrum for linear nonautonomous parabolic PDEs of second order: Basic properties (Q1840602)

The author considers linear nonautonomous parabolic partial differential equations (PDEs) of the form \({\partial u\over\partial t}= Au\). \(A\) being a second-order differential operator in terms of these variables, under the Dirichlet and Robin boundary conditions. He defines the concept of principal spectrum, shows that it is a non-empty compact system, and provides characterizations. He gives conditions under which the principal spectrum is one point only and shows that there is a monotone dependence of the zero-order term in \(A\).