Construction of approximate solutions to the Tricomi problem (Q1920137)

The author considers the equation \[ T(u)= yu_{xx}+ u_{yy}= f(x, y, u, u_x, u_y)\tag{1} \] in a simply connected region \(D\subset \mathbb{R}^2\), where \(D\) is bounded by the curves \(\Gamma_0\), \(\Gamma_1\), \(\Gamma_2\). Hereby \(\Gamma_0\) is a piecewise smooth curve lying in the half-plane \(y> 0\) which intersects the line \(y= 0\) in the points \(A(- 1, 0)\) and \(B(0, 0)\). \(\Gamma_1\), \(\Gamma_2\) are characteristics of (1) issued from \(A(- 1,0)\) and \(B(0, 0)\) which meet at the point \(C(- 1/2, y_c)\). In \(D\) the Tricomi problem \[ T(u)= f,\quad u|_{\Gamma_0\cup \Gamma_1}= 0\tag{2} \] is considered. Using a special first-order operator \(\ell= \ell(u)\) an a priori estimate for the linear Tricomi problem (2) is shown and by employing the Galerkin method the existence of weak and strong solutions of the nonlinear problem is proved. Assumptions are made such that the weak and strong solution coincide and is uniquely determined. With the first-order operator \(\ell(u)\) the linear evolution problem \[ {\partial\over \partial t} \ell(u)+ T(u)= f(x, y, t)\tag{3} \] is studied. A time discretization is used to prove existence of weak and strong solutions for an initial boundary value problem of (3). It is shown that under special conditions a solution of the non-stationary problem (3) converges to a solution of the Tricomi problem as \(t\to \infty\) at which the rate of stabilization is evaluated. Furthermore with the Faedo-Galerkin method for solvability of a corresponding mixed boundary value problem for the nonlinear evolution equation \[ {\partial\over \partial t} \ell(u)+ T(u)= f(x, y, u, u_x, u_y)\tag{4} \] is studied. The existence of a weak solution is proved for every finite time. Under more restrictions on \(f\) and the initial data the existence and uniqueness of the strong solution follows which as \(t\to \infty\) converges to the solution of the nonlinear Tricomi problem. This article is on the one hand a survey of results obtained and published in the last years by different authors including the reviewer. On the other hand it obtains many generalizations for example that in (1) and (4) the function \(f\) depends not only on \(u\) but also on the functions \(u_x\) and \(u_y\).