Non-uniqueness for a critical heat equation in two dimensions with singular data (Q2334997)

This paper is concerned with the semilinear parabolic problem \[ \begin{cases} u_t-\Delta u=f(u)& \text{ in }B_\rho(0)\times (0,T),\\ u(x,t)=0 & \text{ on } \partial B_\rho(0)\times (0, T),\\ u(0,x)=u_0(x)&\text{ for all }x\in B_\rho(0). \end{cases} \eqno{(*)} \] It is assumed that for large \(u\), \(f(u)\sim e^{u^2}\). First, the authors construct a singular solution \(\tilde u\) for the associated elliptic equation \(-\Delta \tilde u=f(\tilde u)\) in a suitable ball \(B_\rho(0)\). Such a solution is singular at the origin and follows the profile \(\tilde u(x)\sim \sqrt{-2\log(|x|)}\) as \(|x|\to 0\). Returning to problem (*) the authors obtain the existence of a second regular solution \(u\) provided the initial data \(u_0\) satisfies \(u_0\leq \tilde u\). It is also shown that if \(yu_0>\tilde u\) then no solutions to (*) exist in any positive time interval.