On a nonlocal diffusion equation with discontinuous reaction (Q5954438)

The authors consider the asymptotic derivation of a parabolic equation with nonlocal diffusivity and with semilinear nonlocal term that may also be discontinuous. From the reaction diffusion system where the diffusity of the second equation is arbitrarily large, using only energy estimates, they obtain a shadow system as an intermediate step for the limit equation. In particular, the authors prove the existence of weak solutions and give a rigorous derivation of a class of diffusion equations that have been used in the literature to model threshold phenomena, for instance, in porous-medium combustion or in localized patterns of excitable media.