A system of degenerate parabolic nonlinear PDE's: a new free boundary problem (Q2569368)

Summary: We prove existence of solutions of a new free boundary problem described by a system of degenerate parabolic equations \[ \omega_t=\bigl( \omega^\mu(p-I)^\beta_+\omega_x \bigr)_x+A(1-\omega)(p-I)^\gamma_+,\quad p_t= (\omega^\alpha p_x)_x\text{ in }\mathbb{R}\times\mathbb{R}^+. \] The problem arises in petroleum engineering and concerns fluid flows in diatomite rocks. The unknown functions represent the pressure of the fluid and a damage parameter of the porous rock. These quantities are not necessarily continuous on the free boundary, which considerably complicates the mathematical analysis.