A Nonlinear Parabolic Initial Boundary Value Problem Modelling the Continuous Casting of Steel (Q4383683)

The system \[ \bigl(k(u) u_x\bigr)_x =\rho(u) C(u)u_t \] \[ u(x,0) =f(x), \quad k(u) {\partial u\over \partial n} =g\left(u, \int^t_0 v(r)dr, t\right) (u-u_0) \] is considered as modelling heat transfer in the continuous casting of steel. The last condition describes the cooling mechanism, and \(v(t)\) is the casting speed. The absence of free boundaries is attributed to the fact that steel is an alloy, and therefore phase change occurs over the gap between the solidus and liquidus curves. This is an oversimplified view, since one should take into account the diffusion-segregation process of the dilute component. In any case, the real goal of this paper is to prove the Fréchet differentiality of the solution w.r.t. the function \(g\), in view of an application to the inverse problem (determining \(g\) so that some condition on the ``solidification front'' is satisfied at some given time). Such a result is shown under a regularity assumption on \(g\). The case of \(g\) piecewise smooth is studied in the last section, showing monotone dependence on \(g\) and investigating the large time asymptotic behaviour.