The Cauchy problem for the fast \(p\)-Laplacian evolution equation. Characterization of the global Harnack principle and fine asymptotic behaviour (Q2145831)

The authors study global properties of nonnegative solutions to the Cauchy Problem for the fast \(p\)-Laplacian evolution equation \(u_t = \Delta_pu\) in \(\mathbf{R}^N\), in the so-called ``good fast diffusion range'' (i.e. where Sobolev embedding works \(\frac{2N} {N+1} < p < 2\). It is well-known that non-negative solutions behave for large times as the Barenblatt (or fundamental) solution. They prove the so-called Global Harnack Principle (GHP), that is, precise global pointwise upper and lower estimates of nonnegative solutions in terms of the Barenblatt solution. This can be considered the nonlinear counterpart of the celebrated Gaussian estimates for the linear heat equation. They characterize the maximal (hence optimal) class of initial data such that the GHP holds, by means of an integral tail condition, easy to check. The GHP is then used as a tool to analyze the fine asymptotic behaviour for large times. For initial data that satisfy the same integral condition, the authors prove that the corresponding solutions behave like the Barenblatt with the same mass, uniformly in relative error. When the integral tail condition is not satisfied they show that both the GHP and the uniform convergence in relative error, do not hold anymore, and they provide also explicit counterexamples. Then they prove a ``generalized GHP'', that is, pointwise upper and lower bounds in terms of explicit profiles with a tail different from the Barenblatt. Finally, they derive sharp global quantitative upper bounds of the modulus of the gradient of the solution, and, when data are radially decreasing, they show uniform convergence in relative error for the gradients.