Multi-dimensional explosion due to a concentrated nonlinear source (Q1876714)

The authors consider the following parabolic first initial-boundary value problem with a concentrated nonlinear source occupying \(\overline B\) (\(B\) is a ball in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) centered at \(b\in D\) with a radius~\(R\)) \[ u_t-\Delta u = {\partial \chi_B(x)\over \partial \nu} f(u(x,t)),\quad \text{in}\quad D\times(0,T], \] \[ u(x,0)=\psi(x)\quad \text{on}\quad \overline D,\quad u=0 \quad \text{on} \quad \partial D\times(0,T], \] where \(D\subset \mathbb{R}^n\) is a bounded domain, the normal vector \(\nu(x)\) is extended to a vector field defined in the whole domain \(D,\) \(f\) and \(\psi\) are given functions such that \(f=0\) for \(x\not\in \overline B,\) \(f(0)\geq 0,\) \(f'(0)\geq 0,\) \(f(u)\) and \(f'(u)\) are positive for \(u>0,\) and \(\psi\) is nontrivial on \(\partial B,\) nonnegative and continuous such that \(\psi =0\) on \(\partial D,\) \(\psi_{x_i}\) is bounded for \(i=1,2,3,\ldots, n\) and \(\Delta\psi+(\partial\chi_B(x)/ \partial\nu) f(\psi(x))\geq 0\) in \(D.\) It is shown that the problem has an unique solution \(u\) before a blow-up occurs. A criterion for \(u\) to blow-up in a finite time is also given. If \(u\) exists in a finite time only, then \(u\) blows up somewhere on \(\bar B.\)