On the existence of global solutions of a system of semilinear parabolic equations with nonlinear nonlocal boundary conditions (Q304639)

The following initial-boundary value problem for a system of nonautonomous reaction-diffusion equations with nonlinear, nonlocal boundary conditions is considered, \[ \begin{aligned} \partial_t u&=\Delta u+c_1(x,t) v^p,\qquad\;\Omega\times(0,\infty)\cr \partial_t v&=\Delta v+c_2(x,t) u^q\qquad\;\Omega\times(0,\infty)\cr u(x,t)&=\int_\Omega k_1(x,y,t)u^m(y,t)dy\qquad \partial\Omega\times(0,\infty)\qquad (1) \cr v(x,t)&=\int_\Omega k_2(x,y,t)v^n(y,t)dy \qquad \partial\Omega\times(0,\infty)\cr u(x,0)&=u_0(x),\qquad v(x,0)=v_0 (x) \qquad \Omega\times \{0\},\end{aligned} \] where \(\Omega\subset\mathbb{R}^N\) is a bounded domain with smooth boundary \(\partial\Omega\), and \(n\), \(m\), \(p\) and \(q\) are positive constants. The functions \(c_i: \overline{\Omega}\times [0,\infty)\rightarrow\mathbb{R}_+\) are locally Hölder continuous, the functions \(k_i:\partial\Omega \times \overline{\Omega}\times [0,\infty)\rightarrow\mathbb{R}_+\) are continuous, \(i=1,2\), and \(u_0\) and \(v_0\) are nonnegative continuous functions satisfying the boundary conditions for \(t=0\). The authors formulate sufficient conditions for the existence and nonexistence of global solutions for the initial-boundary value problem \((1)\). These conditions depend on the exponents \(n,m,p,q\) and the behaviour of the functions \(c_i\) and \(k_i\) as \(t\rightarrow\infty\), \(i=1,2.\) The paper focuses on the case \(\max\{pq,m,n\}>1\), since previous results in [the first author and \textit{K. I. Kim}, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 338, No. 1, 264--273 (2008; Zbl 1139.35061)] imply the existence of a global solution for arbitrary initial data if \(\max\{pq,m,n\}\leq 1\). The proofs are based on comparison principles previously established in the authors' paper [Int. J. Partial Differ. Equ. 2014, Article ID 523656, 10 p. (2014; Zbl 1302.35210)], and the construction of suitable upper or lower solutions for problem \((1)\).