Bifurcation curves in a combustion problem with general Arrhenius reaction-rate laws (Q2374341)

The author studies semilinear degenerate elliptic boundary value problems arising in combustion theory that obey a general Arrhenius equation and a general Newton law of heat exchange. It is proved that ignition and extinction phenomena occur in the stable steady temperature profile at some critical values of a dimensionless rate of heat production. In the isothermal condition case, the largest critical value that the extinction phenomenon occurs, and in the adiabatic condition case the smallest critical value that the extinction phenomenon occurs are obtained. The proofs are based on a combination of fixed point index theory and super(sub)-solution methods.