Improved regularity for the porous medium equation along zero level sets (Q2066131)

It is studied the following inhomogeneous porous medium equation (PME) \[ u_t - \Delta (u^m) = f \quad \text{in}\quad Q_1, \] where \(f \in L^{p,q}(Q_1)\), \(m > 1\) and \(Q_1 = B_1\times (-1,0]\), \(B_1 \subset R^d\), \(d >1\). The main aim of this paper is to import regularity from the homogeneous heat equation to the PME, in line with ideas introduced by \textit{L. A. Caffarelli} [Ann. Math. (2) 130, No. 1, 189--213 (1989; Zbl 0692.35017)]. In particular, the authors establish gains of regularity as solutions approach their zero level-set \[ S_0(u) = \{(x,t) \in Q_1 \,|\, u(x,t) = 0\}. \] More precisely, for a given \(\alpha \in (0,1)\) there exists \(1 < m_{\alpha} \ll 2\) such that solutions to the equation are of class \(C^{\alpha,\frac{\alpha}{\sigma}}_{loc}(Q_1)\), provided \(1 < m \ll m_{\alpha}\) and \(\sigma = 2 + (1 - \alpha)m\). In addition, there exists \(C > 0\), depending only on \(\alpha\) and the dimension \(d\), for which \[ \sup_{B_r(x_0)\times (t_0 - r^{\sigma},t_0)}|u(x,t| \leq Cr^{\alpha}\left(\|u\|_{L^{\infty}(Q_1)} + \|f\|_{L^{p,q}(Q_1)}\right) \] for \(0 < r \ll 1/2\).