No label defined (Q4462280)

The authors of this interesting paper study a linear heat equation with a potential \[ \partial u /\partial t =Lu+V(x)u, \tag{i} \] where \(L\) is a second-order linear elliptic differential operator and \(V(x)\) is locally integrable function, \(x\in \Omega \subset \mathbb R\)\(^N\), \(t\geq 0\). Of physical interest would be only positive solutions of the problem (i). This problem is approximated by \[ \partial u_n /\partial t =Lu_n+V_n(x)u_n,\tag{ii} \] where \(V_n(x)\uparrow V(x)\) for all \(x\in \Omega \) and \(u\), \(u_n\) have the same initial data \(u_n(x,0)=u(x,0)=f(x)\geq 0\), \(f(x)\) is not identically zero. A maximum principle argument shows that \(u_n(x,t)\leq u(x,t)\) for all \((x,t)\in \Omega\times [0,\infty )\) provided that \(u\) exists and the sequence \(u_n\) is increasing. Instantaneous blow-up refers to the situation when \(u_n\) exists and \(\lim_{n\to\infty }u_n(x,t)=\infty \) for all \((x,t)\in \Omega \times (0,\infty )\). The authors review the older result when \(L=\triangle\) and \(V\) is singular at only one point (the origin). Of special interest is the case when \(L\) is a uniformly elliptic operator with bounded measurable coefficients. The case with highly oscillatory potential is considered as well. It is discussed analogous result with \(\mathbb R^N\) replaced by the Heisenberg group \(\mathbb H^N\). For the entire collection see [Zbl 1015.00019].