Diffusion through a composite medium with a semi-periodic structure and high contrasting diffusivity (Q2826328)

This article deals with the problem, which can be formulated in a simple way as follows: can the non-uniform elliptic partial diffusion equation (practically, it can be, say, co-ordinate part of the diffusion equation solved by the variable separation method) with coefficients stated as a sequence of conductivity matrices be replaced by some equivalent differential equation with continual coefficients. It is shown using integral estimates that the answer is positive, when the conductivity is characterized by a periodic distribution of inclusions and an arbitrary distribution of the matrix (here the word ``matrix'' is used in the sense of composite media physics). On the other hand, the obtained result has the pure mathematical representation demonstrating such a principal possibility and its uniqueness, without physical ``recipes'', how to use the method in applications and relevant physical examples.