The expanding behavior of positive set \(H_{u}(t)\) of a degenerate parabolic equation (Q611983)

In this very interesting and original paper the author obtains quantitative estimates for the \(L^2\) contractivity of solutions to the Cauchy problem for the equation \(u_t=\Delta \phi (u).\) Solutions are non-negative, and the increasing nonlinearity \(\phi\) is required to have some smoothness at the origin. Previous results regarding the dependence of solutions on the nonlinearity by \textit{P. Bénilan} and \textit{M. G. Crandall} [Indiana Univ. Math. J. 30, 161--177 (1981; Zbl 0482.35012)] were not quantitative. The paper under review improves on quantitative estimates \textit{B. Cockburn} and \textit{G. Gripenberg} [J. Differ. Equ. 151, No. 2, 231--251 (1999; Zbl 0921.35017)] obtained for a more general equation. Regarding the expansion of the positivity set, \textit{J. L. Vázquez} [Proc. NATO ASI, Sémin. Math. Supér., Montréal/Can. 1990, NATO ASI Ser., Ser. C 380, 347--389 (1992; Zbl 0765.76086)] proved estimates for the expansion of the positivity set of solutions to the porous media equation. The paper under review gives quantitative estimates for the expansion of the positivity set for the general nonlinear diffusion equation under study, in any space dimension. These estimates depend explicitly on the nonlinearity \(\phi.\) As with Vázquez results, data are assumed bounded and integrable.