Similarity solution for an axially symmetric flow of fresh and salt groundwater with nonconstant injection rate (Q4339871)

The author considers the similarity solution of the nonlinear diffusion-convection equation \[ {\partial\over\partial t} u= {1\over r} {\partial\over\partial r} \Biggl\{ru(1-u) {\partial u\over\partial r}- \Lambda(u)\Biggr\} \] in the domain \(0<r<\infty\), \(t>0\), where \(\Lambda:[0,1]\to [0,\infty)\) is a known function. According to the physical background, at the boundaries we require the similarity solution \(u\) to satisfy \(u(0,t)=0\), \(t>0\) and \(u(r,0)=1\), \(r>0\). Note that the equation above is of doubly degenerate type. By a similarity transform, it is shown that there exists a unique similarity solution if and only if the problem \[ (y-\Lambda)''y=2f(1-f)(y-\Lambda)'\quad\text{on }(0,1),\tag{P} \] \[ y(0)= y(1)=0,\quad y>0,\;(y-\Lambda)'<0\quad\text{on }(0,1) \] has a unique solution \(y\in C^2(0,1)\cap C[0,1]\). Problem (P) is a singular two-point boundary value problem. A shooting method and a matching argument are employed to prove the existence and uniqueness results for problem (P). The existence and uniqueness of the similarity solution are obtained under appropriate assumptions for \(\Lambda\).