On the singular equation \(\beta (u)_ t=\Delta u\) (Q1912919)

The authors consider the singular parabolic equation \[ \beta(u)_t- \Delta u= 0\quad \text{in } {\mathcal D}'(\Omega_T),\;u\in L^2_{\text{loc}}(0, T; W^{1, 2}_{\text{loc}}(\Omega)).\tag{1} \] Here \(\Omega\) is a domain in \(\mathbb{R}^N\), and for \(T> 0\) they denote by \(\Omega_T\) the cylindrical domain \(\Omega\). And by \(\beta(\cdot)\) they denote a maximal monotone graph in \(\mathbb{R}\times \mathbb{R}\) satisfying \(w_i\subset \beta(s_i)\), \(w_1- w_2\geq \gamma_0(s_1- s_2) \forall s_i\in \mathbb{R}\), \(i= 1,2\), for some given positive constant \(\gamma_0\). They also assume that \(\beta(\cdot)\) is bounded where its argument ranges over bounded intervals, i.e., for every \(M> 0\), \(\sup_{- M\leq s\leq M} \sup_{w\subset \beta(s)} |w|< \infty\). In particular, in a finite interval \((- M, M)\), the graph \(\beta(\cdot)\) might exhibit several jumps, or might become vertical, several times, exponentially fast or faster. The partial differential equation in (1) is meant weakly, and in the sense of inclusion of graphs. The main result of this paper is that locally bounded weak solutions of (1) are locally continuous in \(\Omega_T\) and that, in additon, their moduli of continuity can be estimated quantitatively. Examples of phenomena governed by (1) are a water-ice vapour triple point and the Buckley-Leverett model of two immiscible fluids in porous medium. As the partial differential equation (1) is not uniformly parabolic on either side of a given singular point for \(\beta(\cdot)\), the continuity theorem requires new ideas and techniques.