Boundedness and continuity of the time derivative in the parabolic Signorini problem (Q2001011)

The first main goal of this very interesting paper is to prove boundedness of the time derivative in the parabolic Signorini problem. In the second main result, the authors establish Hölder continuity of the time derivative at regular free boundary points. More especifially, the authors consider a weak solution of the parabolic Signorini problem: \begin{align*} \Delta v-\partial_tv & =0 \ \text{in } Q_1^+=B_1^+\times (-1,0] \\ v\ge \varphi, \ -\partial_{x_n}v\ge 0, \ (v-\varphi)\partial_{x_n}v & =0 \ \text{ on } Q_1'=B_1'\times (-1,0]\\ v(\cdot, -1) & =\varphi_0 \ \text{ in } B_1, \end{align*} where $\varphi:Q_1'\rightarrow\mathbb{R}$ is the thin obstable and $\varphi_0$ is the initial data, assumed to satisfy a compatibility condition. The free boundary is $\Gamma(v)=\partial_{Q_1'}(\{v>\varphi\}\cap Q_1')$. Firstly, assuming $\varphi\in H^{4,2}(Q_1')$, but without extra assumptions on the initial data, the authors prove that $\partial_t v$ is bounded. To prove this result the authors reduce the problem to the zero thin obstacle, at the expense of obtaining a nonzero right hand side. That is, letting $u(x,t)=v(x,t)-\varphi(x',t)$, one obtains $\Delta u-\partial_tu= f$. A key observation in the proof of their first main result involves incremental quotients in the time derivative of $u$ and $f$, called $U_h$ and $F_h$. The authors prove that $(\Delta-\partial_t)(U_h^{\pm})\ge -F_h^{\mp}$. Secondly, the authors prove that $\partial_tv$ is continuous at so-called regular free boundary points. Finally, the authors actually prove that $\partial_tv$ is Hölder continuous at regular points. As a direct consequence, the authors state a corollary on the higher regularity of the free boundary in the $t$ variable near regular points. When the thin obstacle $\varphi\equiv 0$, this can be used with a Harnack principle to establish the $C^{\infty}$ regularity of the free boundary in $x$ and $t$ near regular points (see [\textit{A. Banerjee} et al., Calc. Var. Partial Differ. Equ. 56, No. 1, Paper No. 7, 26 p. (2017; Zbl 1371.35359)]).