The Dirichlet problem for the fractional \(p\)-Laplacian evolution equation (Q2634213)

The author studies the Dirichlet problem posed in a bounded domain \(\Omega \subset \mathbb{R}^N\), \(N\geq 1\) with zero data outside of \(\Omega\), for \[ \partial_t u(x,t) + \int_{\mathbb{R}^N}\frac{\Phi(u(y,t) - u(x,t))}{|x-y|^{N + sp}}dy = 0, \] where \(x \in \Omega\), \(\Phi(z) = c|z|^{p-2}z\), \(1< p<\infty\), \(0<s< 1\). The constant \(c>0\) is unimportant. The integral operator may be called the \((p,s)\)-Laplacian operator, or more precisely the \(s\)-fractional \(p\)-Laplacian. In this paper, the range \(2< p< \infty\) is covered. The equation is supplemented with the initial data \[ u(x,0) = u_0(x), \quad x \in \Omega, \] where \(u_0\) is a nonnegative and integrable function, for which the existence and uniqueness of strong nonnegative solutions is proved, and a number of quantitative properties are established. A main objective is proving the existence of a special separate variable solution \(U(x,t) = t^{-1/(p-2)}U(x, t)F(x)\), called the friendly giant, which produces a universal upper bound and explains the large-time behaviour of all nontrivial nonnegative solutions in a sharp way. It is established the correct rate \(u(x,t) = O(t^{-1/(p-2)})\) and the sharp form \(u(x,t)t^{1/(p-2)} \to F(x)\). Moreover, the spatial profile \(F\) of this solution solves an interesting nonlocal elliptic problem. The author also prove everywhere positivity of nonnegative solutions with any nontrivial data, a property that separates this equation from the standard \(p\)-Laplacian equation.